[00:00:01]
GOOD, GOOD.[ CALL TO ORDER]
OKAY.WELCOME TO OUR JANUARY 6TH, 2026 CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND, UH, HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE.
UH, ANY PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL DURING ORAL COMMUNICATION MUST COMPLETE A SPEAKER CARD THAT IS PROVIDED AT THE ENTRANCE, UH, TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND SUBMIT THE CARD TO THE DEPUTY CITY CLERK PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF ORAL COMMUNICATIONS.
SPEAKER CARDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER ORAL COMMUNICATION HAS STARTED.
TONIGHT'S INDICATION WILL BE LED BY PASTOR MARTINEZ FROM AMAZING LOVE MINISTRY AND COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
HEAVENLY FATHER, IN JESUS' NAME.
AS WE GATHER HERE THIS EVENING, WE REMEMBER THE WORDS OF KING DAVID IN PSALM 65, 11, THAT YOU CROWN OUR YEAR WITH YOUR GOODNESS.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU CROWN WEST COVINA WITH YOUR GOODNESS IN 2026.
MAY YOUR GOODNESS AND MERCY FOLLOW WEST COVINA AND ALL ITS RESIDENTS EVERY DAY IN THIS NEW YEAR, CROWN OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND OFFERS RESPONDERS WITH DIVINE PROTECTION IN YOUR GOODNESS.
CROWN OUR BUSINESSES FATHER WITH WISDOM AND GROWTH.
CROWN OUR SCHOOLS WITH PEACE AND SAFETY AND ALL OUR CHILDREN'S TEACHERS WITH CREATIVITY, WISDOM, AND A HEART FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
HEAVENLY FATHER, CROWN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WITH PEACE.
CROWN EVERY DEPARTMENT IN OUR CITY WITH VISION, PURPOSE, AND WISDOM, AND CROWN EVERY FAMILY IN OUR CITY WITH HARMONY AND PROVIDE SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT, FOOD, SHELTER TO ALL.
GRANT US ALL A HEART FOR WEST COVINA SO THAT AS OUR SAVIOR, JESUS SAID, WEST COVINA WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CITY ON A HILL WHOSE LIGHT CANNOT BE HID.
AND CROWN OUR CITY COUNCIL WITH WISDOM AND EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEETING, CROWN IT WITH GOODNESS AND MERCY, CROWN, THE LONELY, THE HURTING, AND ALL THOSE GOING THROUGH CRISIS WITH YOUR COMPASSION AND COMFORT, AND CROWN OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS SERVING IN THE MILITARY WITH WISDOM, BOLDNESS, AND DIVINE PROTECTION.
WE THANK YOU FOR THEIR SERVICE AND ALL OUR SOLDIERS SERVING OUR COUNTRY.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE WHO DAILY SERVE OUR CITY.
NOW WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER AND ALL THE AFFAIRS OF OUR CITY AND ALLOW YOU TO DIRECT OUR STEPS.
GOD BLESS AMERICA, AND GOD BLESS OUR BELOVED CITY OF WEST COVINA.
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WIDGET STANCE.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD AND INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
COUNCILMAN WU DI COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ.
IS THERE ANYTHING TO BE REPORTED OUT OF CLOSED SESSION? NOTHING TO REPORT MADAM MAYOR.
WE'RE GONNA GO ON TO THE PRESENTATION.
I DO, I DO HAVE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
WHAT IS THAT? JUST A QUICK ONE.
UM, IF THE CITY OF ATTORNEY COULD JUST, UH, EXPLAIN WHAT THE, I THINK ON THE CLOSED SESSION AGENDA, IT INDICATED WHAT THE TOPIC WAS ABOUT BRIAN GUTTER VERSUS THE CITY OF WEST VNA.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU TELL THE AUDIENCE WHAT THE ABBREVIATION MEANT FOR THE WORKERS' COMP APPEALS BOARD? WHAT THE, WHAT MEANT? I BELIEVE IT'S THE WORKERS' COMP WORKERS' COMPENSATION APPEALS BOARD.
SO IT WAS THE WORKERS' COMP, UH, APPEALS BOARD.
WELL, GOING ON TO PRESENTATIONS.
[ PRESENTATIONS]
UH, THANK YOU.SO, UM, WELL, TONIGHT WE PROUDLY RECOGNIZE THE WEST CONA FIRE DEPARTMENT'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR TESTING, TESTING.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE ACTING CHIEF BROWN TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON THE HISTORIC MILESTONE.
OH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL STAFF AND CITIZENS OF WEST COVINA, IF I CAN HAVE THE MEMBERS OF THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT COME UP HERE AND STAND UP HERE WITH ME AS THEY'RE COMING UP THERE.
THE YEAR 2026 MARKS A PROUD MILESTONE FOR THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WE CELEBRATE 75
[00:05:01]
YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1951 WITH A SINGLE STATION AND A SMALL GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS GROWN ALONGSIDE THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, ADOPTING, ADAPTING, INNOVATING, AND MEETING THE EVOLVING NEEDS THAT OF THOSE WE SERVE.
ON NOVEMBER 21ST, 1950, THE RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA APPROVED A BOND MEASURE TO FUND THE PURCHASE AND EQUIP THE CITY'S FIRST FIRE STATION.
IN 19, IN AUGUST OF 1951, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALLY WENT INTO SERVICE WITH RALPH E HARDEN, APPOINTED AS THE WEST COVINA WESTS VENA'S FIRST FIRE CHIEF.
THE DEPARTMENT INITIALLY OPERATED OUT OF A CONVERTED GARAGE LOCATED BEHIND CITY HALL, AND WAS STAFFED WITH THREE PAID FIREFIGHTERS AND 12 VOLUNTEERS FROM THE BEGINNING.
THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN GUIDED BY A CLEAR PURPOSE TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF LIFE AND PROPERTY SAFETY IN A CARING AND COST EFFECTIVE MANNER, WHILE CONTINUING, CONTINUALLY SERV, STRIVING TO DELIVER CUSTOMER SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, THE CITY, AND ONE ANOTHER.
THE MISSION HAS SHAPED EVERY GENERATION OF FIREFIGHTER AND REMAINS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR WORK TODAY.
WHAT BEGAN AS A MODEST, RESOURCEFUL VOLUNTEER OPERATION HAS EXPANDED TO A PAID PROFESSIONAL ALL HAZARDS FIRE DEPARTMENT, PROTECTING NEARLY 110,000 RESIDENTS FROM FIVE STRATEGICALLY LOCATED FIRE STATIONS.
TODAY, THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE ALL RISK SERVICES, INCLUDING FIRE SUPPRESSION AND PREVENTION, EMERGENCY MEDICAL AND AMBULANCE TRANSPORTATION, TECHNICAL RESCUE, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.
ADDITIONALLY, WE PARTICIPATE IN THE STATEWIDE MASTER MUTUAL AID PROGRAM BY PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR WILDLAND FIRES AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS.
WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL TASK FORCE TO URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE GROUP.
WE MAINTAIN A TACTICAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SUPPORT TEAM THAT'S, UH, THAT SUPPORTS OUR POLICE SWAT OPERATIONS.
AND WE PROBABLY OPERATE A FIRE EXPLORER PROGRAM DEDICATED TO MENTORING AND TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FIREFIGHTERS.
THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY BADGE REPRESENTS FAR MORE THAN A MOMENT IN TIME.
IT HONORS EVERY MEMBER PAST AND PRESENT WHO HAS WORN THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT BADGE WITH PRIDE.
IT REFLECTS DECA DECADES OF SERVICE, SACRIFICE, COURAGE AND PROFESSIONALISM, AND SYMBOLIZES A SHARED LEGACY TOWARD, UH, CARRIED FORWARD BY GENERATION, ROOTED IN AN ENDURING COMMITMENT TO SERVICE PRIDE, INTEGRITY, AND DEDICATION.
I'M GONNA NOW DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BADGE ITSELF.
THE BADGE WAS DESIGNED BY A COMMITTEE OF DEPARTMENT MEMBERS TASKED WITH CREATING A COMMEMORATIVE BADGE.
THE GOAL OF THE COMMITTEE WAS TO DESIGNED A MEANINGFUL AND VISUAL DISTINCTIVE BADGE THAT COMMEMORATES THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S.
THE BADGE SHOULD HONOR THE DEPARTMENT'S HISTORY, SERVICE, AND TRADITIONS.
THE BADGE ITSELF IS A TRADITIONAL SHIELD.
THE CLASSIC FIRE SERVICE SHAPED, UH, SHIELD REFLECTS AUTHORITY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND PUBLIC TRUST.
THIS STYLE TIES THE DEPARTMENT TO THE LONGSTANDING AMERICAN FIRE SERVICE TRADITIONS.
THE ANTIQUE GOLD BRASS FINISH SYMBOLIZES HONOR, LONGEVITY, AND SERVICE.
THE AGED APPEARANCE RE REINFORCES THE DEPARTMENT'S HISTORY AND ENDURING COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE AMERICAN EAGLE, A NATIONAL SYMBOL OF STRENGTH, VIGILANCE, AND PROTECTION.
ITS PLACEMENT AT THE TOP SIGNIFIES LEADERSHIP, OVERSIGHT AND DUTY TO SAFEGUARD THE PUBLIC.
THE OUTSTRETCHED WINGS REPRESENTS READINESS, WATCHFULNESS, AND A BROAD SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY CARRIED BY THE CHIEF AND THE DEPARTMENT.
THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY BANNER MARKS A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE COMMEMORATING 75 YEARS OF SERVICE.
SINCE THE DEPARTMENT'S FOUNDATION IN 1951, THE RED ENAMEL TRADITIONALLY SIGNIFIES COURAGE, SACRIFICE, AND BRAVERY.
CORE FIRE SERVICE VALUES, THE GOLD LETTERING AND TRIM HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE AND PRESTIGE OF THE ANNIVERSARY.
THE AMERICAN FLAG ON THE LEFT SIDE REPRESENTS PATRIOTISM, SERVICE TO COUNTRY, AND THE OATH SWORN BY FIREFIGHTER FIRE SERVICE MEMBERS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.
THE CALIFORNIA STATE FLAG SYMBOLIZES THE DEPARTMENT'S ROLE AS A CALIFORNIA FIRE AGENCY AND PARTICIPATION IN THE CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE MUTUAL AID RESPONSE SYSTEM.
[00:10:01]
THE CENTER LOGO IS THE HEADQUARTERS CITY, EAST SAN GABRIEL VALLEY, WEST COVINA.THE HISTORIC MUNICIPAL SEAL IN THE CENTER OF THE BADGE REPRESENTS UNITY, CONTINUITY, AND THE INTERCONNECTION RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT, THE CITY, AND THE COMMUNITY.
THE RANK DESIGNATION CLEARLY IDENTIFIES THE RANK OF THE MEMBER, WHOM THE BADGE IS ISSUED, ENSURING PROPER RECOGNITION OF ROLE, AUTHORITY, AND RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
THE UNIQUE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER SERVES AS THE PERMANENT HISTORICAL HIRE NUMBER ASSIGNED TO EACH MEMBER UPON ENTRY INTO THE DEPARTMENT.
THE BADGE IN THE PICTURE IS ASSISTANT CHIEF RUSS'S BADGE WITH AN ID NUMBER 1 73.
CHIEF REDIFF CURRENTLY HOLDS THE LOWEST ACTIVE NUMBER IN THE DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS NOT JUST AN IDENTIFICATION BADGE, IT IS A COMMEMORATIVE EMBLEM OF LEGACY, LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE FITTING FOR A MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY OF THE WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE ALL WEARING THEIR LOVELY BADGES.
AND DID YOU WANNA SEE A FEW WORDS SINCE HE MENTIONED YOU?
EVERYBODY COMES IN AND EITHER COMES TO WEST COVINA TO SPEND THEIR DAY, ENJOY THE RESTAURANT, SPEND A LITTLE MONEY IN THE MALL.
UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S ALWAYS READY TO, UH, RESPOND AND SERVE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A CERTIFICATE, BUT WE HAVE THE LOVELY BADGE UP THERE.
WE'LL TAKE A GROUP PHOTO RIGHT IN, IN FRONT OF THE BADGE SO THAT WE HAVE THE BADGE IN THE BACKGROUND WITH ALL OUR FIRE.
IS THIS BADGE BLOWN UP SOMEWHERE, ANYWHERE ELSE, OR JUST CARRYING IT AND WEARING IT? THAT'S WHERE IT'S RIGHT NOW, BESIDES ON OUR CHEST.
SO FOR MOVING PRESENTATIONS MOVING FORWARD, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE A NEW INITIATIVE THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE DURING PRESENTATIONS.
I'LL BE HIGHLIGHTING WEST COVINA BUSINESS DURING THE PRESENTATION PORTION OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS STARTING IN FEBRUARY.
IN ADDITION TO RECOGNIZE THE BUSINESS, I HAVE ASKED THAT THE, THAT HIGHLIGHTED BUSINESS PROVIDES A PROMOTION TO THE PUBLIC.
AND IN RETURN, THE CITY WILL HELP TO ADVERTISE THE PARTICIPATING BUSINESS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, THE CITY'S WEBSITE, AND CHANNEL THREE LOCAL ACCESS.
IF A BUSINESS WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, MORE INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE AT OUR CITY WEBSITE STARTING JANUARY 7TH.
SO WHAT I'M WANTING TO DO FOR PRESENTATION IS TO HIGHLIGHT OUR BUSINESSES.
UH, WE ARE PLANNING TO DO A TASTE OF WEST COVINA.
SO I KNOW CURRENTLY ON THE WEBSITE WE HAVE ALL THE RESTAURANTS DINE-IN TAKEOUT.
AND SO MOVING FORWARD, WE ARE, UH, URGING, UH, RESTAURANTS TO COME AND PUT IN.
AND THEY'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS, ALL THE FOOD THAT THEY HAVE, AND PUT A, LIKE A QR CODE, SOMETHING PROMOTIONAL OFFER, LIKE, LET'S SAY FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR A MONTH, WE'LL HAVE LIKE 10% DISCOUNT IF YOU GO EAT AT THE RESTAURANT OR SHOP.
SO THIS IS A NEW INITIATIVE THAT I WANTED TO IMPLEMENT MOVING FORWARD.
AND OTHER THAN THAT CITY MANAGER'S REPORT,
[ CITY MANAGER'S REPORT]
UM, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN BY OUR ACTING CITY MANAGER, MILAN.ON DECEMBER 24TH, UH, CHRISTMAS EVE PUBLIC WORKS AFTER HOURS STREET AND SEWER CREWS ARE NOTIFIED OF FLOODING AT THE CITY HALL.
PARKING STRUCTURE DUE EXCESSIVE RAINFALL UPON REINSPECTION OF THE AREA.
IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE DRAINS AND SEWER LINES IN THIS AREA WERE CLOGGED DUE TO A COLLAPSE OF THE RETAINING WALL AND EROSION OF SOIL.
IT OCCURRED, UH, THIS IN TURN CAUSED SINKHOLE IN THE UPPER PORTION OF THE STRUCTURE.
STAFF TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION TO CLEAR THE DRAINS, SEWER LINES OF DEBRIS TO ADDRESS THE FLOODING OF THE STRUCTURE.
AND OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS, STAFF THEN REMOVED THE MUD AND DEBRIS FROM THE AREAS AFFECTED, BUILT A NEW RETAINING WALL, AND THEN REPLACED THE, AND
[00:15:01]
COMPACTED THE SURROUNDING SOIL TO ENSURE STABILITY OF THE STRUCTURE.THESE ACTIONS WERE TO ENSURE THAT THIS TYPE OF HAZARD WILL NOT OCCUR.
YOU CAN SEE FROM THESE PHOTOS, THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DIRT AND WATER.
WELL, THESE PICTURES DON'T DEPICT.
I WAS OUT THERE THAT DAY IS WHEN STAFF FIRST WENT IN TO START DOING THE CLEARING.
THE MUD WAS SO DEEP, UH, IT WAS LIKE QUICKSAND.
AND WE HAD STAFF ACTUALLY GET STUCK IN THE MUD AND HAVE TO DIG OUT STAFF BEFORE THEY COULD GET INTO, UH, GET SOME OF THIS WATER AND MUD OUT OF.
THERE WAS A VERY LONG PROJECT.
WE HAD PROBABLY HAD EIGHT TO 10, UM, PUBLIC WORK STAFF THAT WORKED THROUGHOUT THE HOLIDAY BREAK, UH, THAT DID NOT OBSERVE THEIR BREAK TO, UM, TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE CITY HALL WERE TO REOPEN.
SO SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR PUBLIC WORK STAFF FOR THOSE THAT RESPONDED AND SPENT THEIR HOLIDAY, UH, WEEK, WEEK AND A HALF OUT HERE, UH, WORKING ON THIS REPAIR DOWN TREES AND POTHOLE REPAIRS DURING THE HOLIDAY CLOSURE.
IN RECENT RAINSTORMS, PUBLIC WORK STAFF REMOVED SEVERAL DOWN BRANCHES AND FILLED IN SEVERAL POTHOLES THAT WERE CREATED DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AND WINDS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THE PALM VIEW ADAPTIVE CHRISTMAS PARTY HELD ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18TH, WAS A FESTIVE CELEBRATION DESIGNED TO BRING JOY AND COMMUNITY.
SPIRIT ATTENDEES ENJOYED A VARIETY OF DELICIOUS FOOD ARTS AND CRAFTS, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE PHOTOS WITH SANTA.
THIS EVENT ALSO FEATURED LIVELY DANCING, ENCOURAGED EVERYONE TO JOIN IN ON THE FUN.
TO TOP IT OFF, THERE WAS A DELIGHTFUL SNOWFALL EFFECT, ENHANCING THE MAGICAL AMBIENCE OF THIS SEASON.
OVERALL, IT WAS A WONDERFUL GATHERING THAT CELEBRATED THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT IN AN INCLUSIVE WAY.
THE CORTEZ COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS WITH THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS AND CORTEZ DANCE.
OVER 200 SENIORS ENJOYED A DANCE PARTY FEATURING A GIFT DONATION BY THE ST.
SENIOR SOFTBALL TEAM PHOTOS WITH SANTA CAROLERS FROM THE ARROYO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CELEBRATED BY CELEBRATED DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS AND ENTERTAINMENT BY DJ RUDY.
THANK YOU TO THE GREATER COVINA FOR BEING OUR SPONSOR FOR THIS EVENT.
ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20TH, THE CITY OF WEST COVINA CORTEZ PARK COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER HOSTED ITS ANNUAL BREAKFAST WITH SANTA OVER 60 FAMILIES FROM LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
ENJOYED A CLASSIC BREAKFAST, HOT COCOA BAR, BALLOON TWISTING, FAMILY CRAFT, FACE PAINTING, AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES WITH SANTA ALL 17 CHILDREN AND UNDER RECEIVED A SPECIAL GIFT FROM SANTA HIMSELF.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE LOCAL BUSINESSES AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE TOY DRIVE.
FAMILIES GATHERED AT SHADOW OAK, SHADOW OAK COMMUNITY CENTER ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16TH FOR A HOLIDAY BINGO NIGHT.
FAMILIES ENJOYED BINGO GAMES, HOT CHOCOLATE AND COOKIES.
TOGETHER ON DECEMBER 22ND, MAYOR LOPEZ, VITO AND MAYOR PROAM CONTOS, COUNCILMAN WU, AND COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ, ALONG WITH WEST COVINA, POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS AND CANINE TEAM DISTRIBUTED TOYS COLLECTED DURING THE HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE TO THE PEDIATRICS UNIT AT EMINENT HEALTH QUEEN OF THE VALLEY HOSPITAL.
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO DONATED TO THE TOY DRIVE.
THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY NAACP WILL HOLD HIS 27TH ANNUAL, UM, SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUTE TO MARTIN LUTHER KING ON MONDAY, JANUARY 19TH, 2026 FROM 11:30 AM TO 2:00 PM HERE IN THE WEST COVINA CIVIC CENTER COURTYARD.
THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S EVENT IS THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW THE 2026 HOMELESS COUNT IS SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21ST AT THE CAMERON PARK COMMUNITY CENTER.
UH, 1305 EAST CAMERON, SORRY, ADJUST THIS HERE.
IT'S SCHEDULED FROM 8:00 PM TO 12:00 AM.
UH, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE.
ANYONE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING CAN SCAN THE QR CODE ON THE SCREEN OR CAN EMAIL OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION AT CED@WESTCOVINA.ORG WITH YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TO SIGN UP AND TO GET INVOLVED.
UM, IN MAY, UH, THE END OF MAY, I TOOK OVER ACT AS ACTING CITY MANAGER.
AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS FROM THE COMMUNITY WAS THAT THE BUDGET PROCESS WASN'T TRANSPARENT AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GET THEIR INPUT INTO, UM, THE PROCESS.
AND I MADE THE COMMITMENT AT THAT TIME TO GET THINGS STARTED A LOT EARLIER.
SO THIS YEAR, THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS FOR 20 26, 20 27 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED AND WILL BE HELD 5:00 PM TO 7:00 PM AT THREE LOCATIONS AND DATES.
THIS INCLUDES WEST COVINA COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON APRIL 20TH, 2026, CORTEZ PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, SINCE COMMUNITY
[00:20:01]
AND SENIOR CENTER APRIL 22ND, AND THEN PALM VIEW PARK AT ON APRIL 23RD, RESTAURANT LISTING.OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION HAS INTRODUCED A RESTAURANT LISTING TO OUR CITY WEBPAGE.
THE RESTAURANT LISTING WILL BE A RESOURCE OFFERED TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN ENJOYING A WONDERFUL DINING EXPERIENCE IN OUR CITY.
THE LISTINGS WILL BE UPDATED MONTHLY AND INCLUDE BOTH DINE-IN AND TAKEOUT RESTAURANTS.
THIS MONTH INCLUDES 81 THIS MONTH.
IT INCLUDES 81 DINE-IN AND 64 TAKEOUT LOCATIONS.
UM, UPCOMING EVENTS, WHICH WE MENTIONED, WHICH IS THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR TRIBUTE MONDAY, JANUARY 19TH, HERE AT THE WEST COVINA CIVIC CENTER COURTYARD.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION FOR TONIGHT, MADAM MAYOR.
SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EAT, CHECK OUT THAT RESTAURANT DINING, SO THERE'S NO EXCUSES, BUT WE'LL BE HIGHLIGHTING THAT AGAIN, UM, IN OUR FUTURE TASTE OF WEST COVINA.
[ ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS.COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER, UNLESS MODIFIED BY THE PER PRESIDING OFFICER OR THE CITY COUNCIL REQUEST TO SPEAK ON.
AGENDA ITEMS WILL BE HEARD PRIOR TO REQUEST TO SPEAK ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY NOT ENGAGE IN BEHAVIOR THAT IS DISRUPTIVE TO THE ORDERLY CONDUCT TO THE OF THE MEETING, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO SPEAKING OFF TOPIC, SPEAKING BEYOND THE SPEAKER'S ALLOTTED TIME LIMIT, MAKING SLANDEROUS OR PROFANE REMARKS OR USING LOUD THREATENING OR ABUSIVE LANGUAGE, WHICH DISRUPTS, DISTURBS, IMPEDES, OR RENDERS INFEASIBLE VIA ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY NOT THREATEN ANY PERSON WITH PHYSICAL HARM OR ACT IN A MANNER THAT MAY REASONABLY BE INTERPRETED AS IMMINENT THREAT OF PHYSICAL HARM.
WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME BEING CALLED, YOU MAY SIT IN THE FRONT ROW DESIGNATED FOR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
THE TIMER WILL START WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED ASSISTANT CITY CLERK.
HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE TONIGHT? MAYOR? WE HAVE EIGHT SPEAKERS.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JOHN SHOEMAKER, FOLLOWED BY JIM GRITCH FO FOLLOWED BY JOSH MURRAY.
I HAVE THE FEELING JIM WILL PROBABLY SAY A COUPLE THINGS ABOUT, OH, SORRY.
WHY I, IS YOUR MIC ON? THERE YOU GO.
I HAVE A FEELING THAT, UH, MR. GRITCH WILL BE SAYING A COUPLE THINGS RELATED TO FINANCES, BUT, UH, HOPEFULLY I DON'T STEAL ANY OF WHAT HE HAS TO SAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS IS I FIND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN COMING TO COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR 25, 26 YEARS, AND I FIND IT ABSOLUTELY AMAZING HOW AN ORGANIZATION, THE SIZE OF WEST COVINA CITY GOVERNMENT, AND THE AMOUNT OF STAFF THAT THEY HAVE AT SIX MONTHS AFTER THE END OF THE YEAR, THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO CLOSE IT.
YOU KNOW, AND SOMETHING WILL POP UP.
HERE WE ARE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, IN, IN 2026.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
I'VE WORKED FOR MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR CORPORATIONS THAT, UH, WITHIN A MONTH AND A HALF, WE HAD ALL THE NUMBERS THAT WE NEEDED AND REPORTED, YOU KNOW, TO THE GOVERNMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UH, WHY CAN'T WE DO IT HERE? IT'S NOT THAT HARD.
YOU WANT, I'LL COME IN AND SHOW YOU NO CHARGE.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS DID.
EVERY PLACE I WENT, I TOOK, UH, THE TIME THAT IT, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, CUT IT DOWN.
ONE OF THE THINGS TOO, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE, UH, OUR ACTING CITY MANAGER ABOUT BUDGETS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY BEEN A COUPLE TIMES IN ALL THE YEARS OF COME TO COUNCIL MEETINGS AND SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, AND IT WAS A, A COUPLE TIMES WHEN MIKE, I THINK IT WAS MIKE SPENCE AND STEVE COX, AND I THINK PETE SABATINO WAS ON IT, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO THE OTHER TWO WERE.
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN FULLER AND MOUNT.
THEY ACTUALLY HAD BUDGET MEETINGS THAT LASTED THREE DAYS AND LASTED FOR FIVE OR SIX HOURS EVERY NIGHT.
AND THEY WERE GOING THROUGH ITEM BY ITEM.
AND BASICALLY IT WAS LIKE A WORKSHOP.
PEOPLE WERE THERE GIVING OPINIONS, SAYING, WHAT'S THIS, WHAT'S THAT? AND PEOPLE WERE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS.
THAT HAPPENED A COUPLE TIMES, YOU KNOW, SO I HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM CREDIT, BUT, YOU KNOW, OTHERWISE IT ISN'T.
SO THE THESE MEETINGS ARE, IT LOOKS GOOD, BUT IT'S ALWAYS IGNORED.
AND THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED, UH, AND I'LL CALL THE CITY MANAGER PROBABLY TOMORROW, IS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT A DA AND I STARTED TO LOOK AT IT AND, YOU KNOW, I, HOW CAN I GET SOME ACCOMMODATIONS? BECAUSE SINCE I'VE HAD MY STROKE, AND YOU PROBABLY SEE THAT I'M KIND OF STUTTERING AND LOSING TRACK OF THOUGHT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT I MAY NEED SOME MORE TIME IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION.
BUT THESE LIGHTS, YOU KNOW, I NEED SUNGLASSES, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S KIND OF AFFECTING MY ABILITY TO SIT HERE AND PARTICIPATE IN, YOU KNOW, AFTER HAVING A COUPLE STROKES.
SO, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A WAY THAT I CAN ASK FOR AN ACCOMMODATION? YOU KNOW, SO I CAN ATTEND THESE MEETINGS AND PARTAKE IN THEM.
[00:25:01]
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JIM GRITCH, FOLLOWED BY JOSH MURRAY, FOLLOWED BY DENNIS PHILLIPS.I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SAME STUFF.
UH, ITEM FOUR IS YOUR FOURTH QUARTER REPORT.
IT WAS DISTURBING IF I WERE YOU.
UH, I WOULD WANT INFORMATION, UH, FROM AN INDEPENDENT EXPERT OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY'S MONEY.
YOU HAVE AN AUDIT COMMITTEE IN YOUR ORDINANCE TO DO SO, BUT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE HAS NOT MET FOR OVER SIX MONTHS.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE VALUABLE INFORMATION TO GIVE YOU, AND THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO SO.
I'VE BEEN IN THE AUDIT COMMITTEE FROM THE BEGINNING, UH, AND BEEN REAPPOINTED SEVERAL TIMES, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN BOOKS LIKE THIS THAT DID HAVE NOT CLOSED.
THIS IS JANUARY, SEVEN MONTHS AFTER THE FACT ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES STATE THAT BOOKS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CLOSED WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO DO A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT.
WHY HAVE THERE BEEN A LOT OF COMMITTEES MEETINGS TO DEAL WITH YOUR MONEY? THE CITY PUBLISHED A MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE THE CITY HAS PUBLISHED TWO, UH, DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF LAST YEAR.
ONE VERSION SAID THE CITY WAS IN DEFICIT.
THE OTHER VERSION SAID THE CITY HAD A SURPLUS.
WHICH ONE'S THE TRUTH? MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE NOW IN JANUARY YOU'RE MOVING $2.5 MILLION INTO REVENUE FOR LAST YEAR.
THAT'S SEVEN MONTHS AFTER THE FACT.
WHAT'S GOING ON? UH, ALL OFFICIAL RULES SAY YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
UH, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT THE REAL STORY IS.
UH, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACTUAL REPORT YOU RECEIVED.
THERE'S A CHART ON THE FIRST PAGE THAT SHOWS REVENUE WAY ABOVE EXPENDITURES.
THAT CHART IS AS WRONG BECAUSE THE CHART LEAVES OUT TRANSFERS, WHICH ARE PART OF EXPENDITURES.
REVENUES ARE NOT WAY ABOVE EXPENDITURES.
SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF WHAT YOU'RE BEING GIVEN.
THE AUDIT COMMITTEE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THAT.
AND THEN THE FINALLY, AND PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT BY NOW, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL AUDIT FROM OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITORS.
I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT ANY AUDIT.
WHAT'S HAPPENING? AGAIN, THE AUDIT COMMITTEE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT IT.
I'M ASKING THAT YOU PUT THIS OFF UNTIL THE AUDIT COMMITTEE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT AND NOT VOTE ON THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENT.
JOSH MARY, FOLLOWED BY DENNIS PHILLIPS, FOLLOWED BY JENNY PHILLIPS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JOSH MURRAY, AND I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF WEST COVINA LIBRARY.
TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7TH, FROM FOUR TO 5:00 PM TEENAGERS FROM 12 TO 17 ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR MAKE OLED GREETING CARDS PROGRAMS. UH, TEENS WILL DESIGN A HANDMADE GREETING CARD WITH WORKING LIGHTS CONTROLLED BY AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT ON PAPER.
CHILDREN AGES FIVE TO 12 AND THEIR PARENT OR CAREGIVER ARE, UH, ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN COOL WINTER SCIENCE FOR KIDS ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14TH, FROM THREE 30 TO 4:30 PM JOIN US FOR SOME REALLY INTERESTING HANDS-ON WINTER SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS.
WE'LL BE MAKING SNOW FLUFF AND FISHING FOR ICE WHILE LEARNING SOME INTERESTING SCIENCE CONCEPTS AND REGISTRATIONS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, LA COUNTY LIBRARY.ORG.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
NEXT SPEAKER, DENNIS PHILLIPS, FOLLOWED BY JENNY PHILLIPS, FOLLOWED BY GLEN KENNEDY.
DENNIS PHILLIPS, 9 2 5 SOUTH VALINDA AVENUE.
UH, IN MY VERY FIRST CONVERSATION, UH, WITH THE RECEIVER ON THE PROPERTY, HE TOLD ME THAT EVERYTHING THAT THEY WERE DOING ON THE PROPERTY WAS PUBLIC RECORD.
SO ON DECEMBER 4TH, I CAME TO THE CITY, MY WIFE AND I, AND WE ASKED FOR PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
AND ON CHRISTMAS EVE, I WAS STILL FIGHTING WITH THE CITY TO GET ANYTHING.
THEY WERE SHORTHANDED AND SHORT STAFFED.
[00:30:01]
DID ULTIMATELY GET WAS A, UM, A COPY OF THE DRAWN PERMITS.WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PERMITS ARE DRAWN FOR, BUT WE HAVE THAT.
APPARENTLY THE OTHER STUFF IS NOT PUBLIC RECORD YET.
SO THERE'S $4,500 WORTH OF PERMITS THAT'S BEEN PULLED FOR THE PROPERTY.
AND, UH, AND REMEMBER THIS WAS AN ABATEMENT PROPERTY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING WEEDS AND, AND TRASH AND DEBRIS.
AND SO AS I GO THROUGH, BECAUSE WHAT I DO HAVE IS I HAVE THE COPY OF THE PROPOSAL, THE APPROVED PROPOSAL THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM.
AND IN THAT PROPOSAL, UM, THEY FOLLOW THE ABATEMENT THAT HAS TO GET DONE.
AND AS HE GOES THROUGH THE ABATEMENT THERE, HE PUTS A PRICE ON ALL OF THE, THAT LIST AND THAT PRICE COMES OUT TO $66,000 WORTH OF WORK.
BUT THEN THERE'S A THIRD PAGE ON THAT PROPOSAL OR BID.
AND ON THAT ONE, HE IS NOW DEMOING TO THE BEAR STUDS, BATHROOMS AND KITCHENS AND ET CETERA.
AND NOW WITH THAT PAGE IS $117,000, WHICH BY THE WAY, THAT STUFF TAKES PERMITS TO DO.
NOW, I'VE ABATED THE PROPERTY, I'VE DONE EVERYTHING ON THAT $66,000 LIST OVER THE CHRISTMAS TIME.
WHY MOST OF YOU GUYS WERE OFF.
I ACTUALLY TOOK CHRISTMAS WEEK OFF AS WELL.
AND I DID IT FOR A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS, BUT THAT'S IRRELEVANT ON THAT PERMIT.
THEY PUT A, A VALUE ON THAT PERMIT OF $30,000.
BUT THE, BUT THE CONTRACTOR IS CHARGING $117,000.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST A FREE FOR ALL.
AND YET IT'S COURT ORDERED NOW.
SO WE DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN GET RID OF THAT OR NOT, BUT WE'RE SORTING THAT OUT, AND I WELCOME ANYONE TO COME AND SEE THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ON THAT PROPERTY.
NEXT SPEAKER, JENNY PHILLIPS, FOLLOWED BY GLENN KENNEDY, FOLLOWED BY JERRY PATRA.
WELL, YOU KNOW THE STORY, BUT, UM, I KNOW DAVID WAS VERY HARD TO WORK WITH, AND I, I READ THROUGH A LOT OF THE PAPERS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THEY HAD GIVEN HIM A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE WORK THAT HE WAS REQUIRED TO DO TO CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY.
BUT I ALSO WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT HE WAS A 70-YEAR-OLD MILITARY VETERAN WHO SERVED IN THE MID SEVENTIES.
I DON'T THINK HE WAS TYPICALLY NORMAL AFTER THAT.
I MEAN, HE DIDN'T HAVE A SOCIAL CIRCLE, A WIFE, KIDS, HE ISOLATED HIMSELF.
HE WASN'T, YOU KNOW, PART OF ANY KIND OF SOCIAL GROUP.
AND SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY HE KIND OF PROBABLY JUST FELT, UH, SCARED AND WORRIED THAT, YOU KNOW, HE WAS WATCHING HIS PROPERTY DISAPPEAR RIGHT IN FRONT, IN FRONT OF HIS EYES.
AND, UM, IT'S A REALLY, IT'S TRAGIC.
AND I, I I, I KIND OF WENT DOWN A BLACK RABBIT HOLE THROUGH ALL THESE DOCUMENTS.
'CAUSE THERE'S HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF COMMENTS ABOUT THIS, THE SAFETY RISK OF THE LIFE RISK TO THE OCCUPANT.
AND, AND IT JUST GOES ON AND ON.
I MEAN, IT'S MANIFESTLY DANGEROUS AND IT'S IMMINENTLY DANGEROUS TO THE LIFE SAFETY, HEALTH OF THE PERSON LIVING THERE, THE OCCUPANT.
AND YET, UM, AND YOU WERE RIGHT BECAUSE IT DID KILL HIM.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, HE DIED THERE, YOU KNOW, A YEAR AFTER YOU SAW THE PROPERTY.
NOT YOU NECESSARILY, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT STORMED THE PROPERTY, THE LAWYERS AND THE CITY COUNCIL, I MEAN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF THEM THAT WENT THROUGH THERE AND TOOK ALL THOSE PICTURES AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND WROTE UP ALL THESE HORRIBLE DOCUMENTS ABOUT HOW DANGER IT WAS.
AND THEN, AND THEN THEY JUST LEFT HIM THERE.
UM, DAVID, UH,
I MEAN, YOU, YOU'VE SEEN THE PICTURES.
I MEAN, HE DIDN'T HAVE, HE WASN'T COMPETENT ENOUGH TO DO THAT KIND OF WORK.
AND THE RECEIVER HAD THE, THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE AUTHORITY TO, TO, TO MOVE HIM OUT OF THAT PROPERTY AND INTO A SAFE PLACE.
AND, AND, BUT THEY DIDN'T, THEY DIDN'T BOTHER TO TAKE CARE OF HIM.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE JUST NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO GET OVER.
IS, IS WHERE DOES, WHERE DOES, YOU KNOW, UM, THESE LAWYERS WHO, WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE, LOOKING AFTER THIS THING AND THE RECEIVERSHIP AND ALL THAT, WHERE ARE THEY AT? YOU KNOW, I, THEY, THEY, THEY ABANDONED THEIR JOBS.
[00:35:01]
I, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.I, I, WE CAN'T BRING HIM BACK.
HE WASN'T COOPERATIVE, BUT HE WASN'T A BAD PERSON.
HE DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, BREAK THE LAWS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN, HE HAD A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IN WEST COVINA FOR MANY YEARS.
HE, HE COULD WORK ON ANY KIND OF ENGINE, FIX UP OLD CARS, YOU KNOW, HE WAS VERY, VERY GOOD AT CRAFTSMEN, YOU KNOW, WOOD WORKING IN THAT SORT OF THING.
HE HAD A LOT OF GOOD QUALITIES.
HE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE, THE STAMINA OR WHATEVER IT WAS TO CLEAN UP HIS PROPERTY.
AND, UM, AND, AND I WISH WHAT YOU WOULD'VE LOOKED UP GOOGLED US, AND, AND YOU WOULD'VE FOUND IT.
HE HAD FAMILY MEMBERS THAT COULD HAVE COME AND POSSIBLY HELPED OUT.
AND, UM, AND SAVED HIM, GOT HIM INTO A SAFE PLACE WHERE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ACCORDING TO THE RECEIVERSHIP.
AND, AND, AND GET WELL, THANK YOU.
GLENN KENNEDY, FOLLOWED BY JERRY PATRA, FOLLOWED BY GEORGE OGDEN.
NICE TO SEE EVERYBODY'S SMILING FACE.
UH, TONIGHT I REPRESENT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND I'LL BE REAL BRIEF HERE.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA START OUR WORKSHOPS AND, UH, WE'D LIKE TO START, WE, WE WILL START THIS THURSDAY FROM SIX TO EIGHT.
WE'D LIKE TO, UH, IN THE FUTURE START THE FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
THE WHOLE COMMUNITY'S WELCOME.
UH, IF YOU ENJOY LOCAL HISTORY, UM, WE WILL BE PARTNERING UP WITH LIKE COVINA, HISTORICAL SOCIETY, SAN DIMAS, WHILE PUENTE, UH, AND OTHER, OTHER, UH, HISTORICAL SOCIETIES.
SO IF, UH, YOU ENJOY THIS, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME OUT.
UH, ADDRESS IS 3 38 SOUTH GLENDORA AVENUE, UH, GLENDORA AVENUE.
LIKE I MENTIONED TO YOU EARLIER, MISS UH, MADAM MAYOR'S THE MOST ICONIC STREET IN THE VALLEY BY FAR.
JERRY PADRES, FOLLOWED BY GEORGE OGDEN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR FIXING THE FLAGS.
YEAH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL I ATTENDED, UM, COUNCILMAN CANTOS, UH, COMMUNITY MEETING AND THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE RESTAURANT LISTINGS AND STUFF WAS DISCUSSED THERE.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE THAT THERE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXPRESS MY CONCURRENCE WITH MR. SHOEMAKER AND MR. GRITZ REGARDING THE FINANCE REPORT.
I WORKED IN THE 40 FOR 40 YEARS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
I'VE NEVER SEEN IT DONE THIS WAY.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, STAFF, AND THE CITY MANAGER.
OKAY, I'M KINDA HERE TONIGHT, UH, TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE THAT, UM, HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS HERE AT CITY COUNCIL'S DEMEANOR OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON.
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE EMBARRASSING, I THINK, FOR OUR CITY AND SOME OF THE STAFF AS WELL AS OUR COUNCIL.
I WANNA APOLOGIZE TO WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS AND ABOUT YOUR SEAT ASSIGNMENT AND ALL THAT, THAT BECAME ROUGH.
UH, I WANNA THANK ALL OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO TRY TO DO TO MAKE GOOD.
AND I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE THAT BRIAN GUTIERREZ HAD BROUGHT UP WITH IN REGARDS TO AN ARTICLE WITH THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY EXAMINER.
IN CASE, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, I CAME TO 27 YEARS CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS WITHOUT MISSING ONE, EXCEPT FOR ONE TIME WHEN I WAS INVOLVED IN A SHOOTING AND I HAD TO SHOOT TWO PEOPLE.
THE INVESTIGATION WENT ON UNTIL THE NEXT DAY.
BUT LEMME GET MY GLASSES ON HERE, SO I DON'T MISS ANYTHING.
BUT, UH, MR. CORDERA HAD TAKEN, I GUESS OFFENSE, IF THAT WOULD BE CORRECT, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE HEADLINES FOR THE EXAMINER.
AND IT SAID, UH, THAT HE WAS SUING THE CITY.
AND WHEN I TAKE A LOOK AT SUING THE CITY, IT'S LITIGATION AND LITIGATION IS DEFINED AS SUING THE CITY.
YOU CAN GET EVERYTHING YOU NEED OFF OF GOOGLE
SO ANYWAY, UH, WE HAD REVISITED THE ARTICLE, AND THERE WAS ONE ITEM THAT HE STATED THAT I SAID, SEXUAL HARASSMENT, THAT WASN'T IN THERE.
IT WAS SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE IT'S SHOWS HERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL, YOU'VE GOTTEN NAILED.
MAYOR MME. DIAZ, YOU'VE GOTTEN MAIL NAILED WITH HIS, THE ANTICS THAT GOES ON.
[00:40:01]
THE COMPANY THAT ACTUALLY HANDLES THE, THE EXAMINER IS EUM O.AND WITH SOME OF THE STUFF THAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH RYAN, IF I MAY, I, I GET A LOT OF MESSAGES AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR THAT I DON'T PUT IN THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE NEGATIVE AND I COULD, I WOULD FORWARD IT ON TO THEM.
BUT THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO, TO REMAIN SILENT.
UM, THERE'S SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THAT.
HE CREATED HIS OWN PROBLEMS. AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'LL BE A POSSIBILITY THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT A RECALL, BUT WHEN YOU START MESSING WITH SOMEBODY THAT HAS BARRELS OF OIL AND THE POWER OF THE PEN, YOU MAY BE STEPPING ON SOME PRETTY HOR TOES HERE.
SO IT'S JUST A WORD OF CAUTION TO PEOPLE THAT DO A LOT OF FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS AND SO ON, THAT THEY NEED TO BE CAREFUL IF THEY GOT A LEGITIMATE CAUSE, GO FOR IT.
AND SINCE HE WAS DOING ADVERTISING FOR BUSINESSES, I'VE GOT THREE OF MY CORVETTES FOR SALES.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO GET AHOLD OF ME ABOUT THAT.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, ACTING CITY MANAGER.
WILL YOU PLEASE RESPOND TO ALL THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC COMMENTS CONCERNS? THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.
UM, MR. SCHUMAKER, MR. GRITCH AND MS. PORTS, UM, ON THE BUDGET.
I KNOW THAT'S AN ITEM, UM, TONIGHT ON THE AGENDA, AND I'LL LET OUR FINANCE, UH, DIRECTOR SPEAK AT THAT TIME.
MR. SCHUMAKER, YOUR CONCERNS ARE VALID.
ALSO ON THE, WE DO DO THE WORKSHOPS, THE THREE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, AND YES, THAT JUST IS A BROAD OVERVIEW.
IT'S NOT A REAL LONG SESSION, IT'S A COUPLE HOURS.
UM, AT THE NEXT MEETING, I'LL PROBABLY BE COMING BACK WITH A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, TO ADDRESS YOUR CONCERN, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WOULD, LIKE ANOTHER RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS IN MORE DETAIL, GO LINE BY LINE, ITEM BY ITEM, UM, THE FUNDING AND THE EXPENSE WE HAVE IN THE CITY.
SO THAT'S IN, IN, IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW.
I JUST AM NOT PREPARED TO PRESENT THAT TONIGHT, BUT I I, YOU WILL HEAR MORE FROM ME ON THAT TOPIC.
UM, JOSH MURRAY, THANK YOU ON THE UPDATES ABOUT THE LIBRARY, UM, DENNIS AND JENNY, MS. PHILLIPS, UM, I KNEW YOUR BROTHER.
UH, I'VE BEEN IN THE PROPERTY SEVERAL TIMES AND ALSO TALKED TO HIM, UH, A CHARISMATIC GUY.
I LOVE THE OLD CARS IN THE, IN THE BACKYARD.
UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S A MEETING SET UP FOR NEXT WEEK WITH THE RECEIVER, UM, TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER.
AND I WILL BE AT THAT MEETING, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT A LOT OF YOUR CONCERNS WILL BE ADDRESSED.
AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PERMIT FEES COMPARED TO VALUATIONS AND WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING A PRICE TAG TO THINGS, UM, DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WE'RE GONNA SIT DOWN.
AND, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING ALREADY IS THAT THE RECEIVERS AGREED THAT YOU CAN DO ANY OF THE NECESSARY REPAIRS.
AND WE WON'T DO THIS THROUGH THE COURTS AND HAVE TO HIRE OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS, WHICH WILL SAVE A TON OF MONEY.
UM, USUALLY THESE CASES INVOLVE PEOPLE THAT ARE, UM, THERE'S NOBODY TO HELP OUT, NO ONE ELSE TO DO THE WORK UNLESS WE HIRE OUT.
SO I'LL BE AT THAT MEETING NEXT WEEK, WE'LL DISCUSS, AND I THINK YOU'LL BE SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS FROM THAT MEETING.
UM, GLEN KENNEDY, THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION ON THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, SOCIETY FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAYS OF EACH MONTH.
AND GLENN, WHAT WAS THE TIME FOR THOSE MEETINGS? SIX TO EIGHT.
UM, MR. RAGAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR WORK WITH THE EXAMINER, UM, PAPER.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY RESPONSES FOR TONIGHT.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, I KNOW I SENT AN EMAIL 'CAUSE WE HAD ANOTHER AUDITOR WHO, UH, ASKED ME ABOUT THE NEXT MEETING AND SO FORTH.
AND I UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT COMMISSIONERS OR AUDITORS, CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE AN UPDATE? I'M GONNA ASK ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, ROXANNE LERMA, TO GIVE THE UPDATE ON THAT MATTER.
ACTING CITY MANAGER, RACKAGE, UH, MAYOR THROUGH THE CHAIR.
UM, IF I MAY, JUST TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE, UM, THERE IS AN ITEM COMING BACK TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION FOR, UM, THE APPOINTMENT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
UM, AS DISCUSSED, UM, THE AUDIT COMMITTEE IS APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL BODY.
UM, THEY WILL, COUNCIL WILL BE PROVIDED, UH, WITH THE APPLICATIONS IN ADVANCE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY TO HAVE THAT ON THE AGENDA.
SO AUDIT MEETING'S SUPPOSED TO BE COMING IN SOON.
UH, COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? YES.
UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, I THOUGHT WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T, THEY COME TO US AND THEN WE SAID WE WANTED TO APPOINT THE CURRENT REAPPOINT THE CURRENT MEMBERS, AND THEN IT CAME BACK AGAIN FOR US TO APPOINT THEM.
SO DIDN'T WE ALREADY VOTE ON THE APPOINTMENT? THE APPOINTMENT HAD NOT BEEN VOTED ON.
THERE WAS AN ITEM THAT WAS ON OPEN SESSION THAT WAS PULLED FROM THAT SESSION, UM, AT THE DISCRETION FOR THE CITY MANAGER, OR
[00:45:01]
EXCUSE ME, THE ACTING CITY MANAGER.UM, SO THERE WAS NO ACTION TAKEN IN PUBLIC SESSION.
AND, AND THEN, UH, THE LAST THING I JUST WANNA SAY IS, UH, I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY THANK, UH, OUR ACTING CITY MANAGER, MILAN AND, UH, MIKE KRISA AND, AND CARMELITA FOR, UH, GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CHAMBER WAS, UH, A DA AMERICANS DISABILITY ACT COMPLIANCE.
UM, I WALK IN, I AGREE WITH JOHN SHOEMAKER.
I THINK THIS IS VERY BRIGHT, SO I DON'T KNOW.
AND MAYBE DID COMPLY WITH A D ABOVE FOR US.
THIS IS VERY, I DON'T THINK, OKAY.
I FEEL LIKE ENTERTAINING SALON.
AND NEED TO PUT THE SOUND LOTION BECAUSE THIS UV OKAY, THIS REALLY BRIGHT OVER HERE, SO I DON'T KNOW, YOU HAVE TO CHECK ABOUT, MAYBE IT TURNED DOWN A COUPLE NOTCH.
SO YOU CAN MIRROR OR SOMETHING, BECAUSE THIS IS A, SITTING OVER HERE.
MY EYES, IT, IT'S VERY, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO, IT'S EVEN, IT'S SUPER BRIGHT, SO IT'S A HEALTHY FOR HER TO SIT OVER HERE MORE THAN 20 MINUTES.
OTHERWISE, I HAVE TO PUT MY SUNGLASSES.
I I SECOND IF THEY CAN KINDLY CORRECT THAT, IT'S JUST TOO MUCH.
AND OBVIOUSLY IF THE PUBLIC MADE A COMMENT ON THAT, PLEASE.
UM, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LAW, SO YOU CAN PLEASE LOOK INTO THAT.
UH, COUNSEL, IS THERE ANYTHING
[ CONSENT CALENDAR]
YOU'D LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR? MADAM MAYOR? MM-HMMUM, I THINK, UH, THE NUMBERS CHANGE.
SO THE BUDGET ONE, I THINK IS NUMBER FIVE ONLY.
RIGHT? OR WHERE IS IT? IS IT NUMBER FOUR OR, OR IS THIS RIGHT? THE BUDGET ITEM IS NUMBER FOUR.
I KNOW YOU GAVE ME A NEW ONE SOMEWHERE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I'LL GET, I'LL DO, UM, NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER THREE.
COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? ANYBODY ELSE? SEEING NONE? I CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR WITH THE EXCEPTION ONE, THREE AND FOUR.
I'LL MOVE THE MOTION YOU SECOND ROLL CALL.
I HAVE A, UH, MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DIAZ, A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WU TO APPROVE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS TO, ACTUALLY, IT'S JUST NUMBER TWO.
NUMBER TWO IS THE CONSENT ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS, UH, DEPARTMENTAL MATTERS.
[1) CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT BY REFERENCE THE 2026 LOS ANGELES COUNTY BUILDING, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, MECHANICAL, RESIDENTIAL, AND EXISTING BUILDING CODES, WHICH ADOPT BY REFERENCE THE 2025 CALIFORNIA BUILDING, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, MECHANICAL, RESIDENTIAL, AND EXISTING BUILDING CODES, WITH CERTAIN AMENDMENTS, ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS THERETO AND RESOLUTION MAKING FINDINGS REGARDING THE NEED FOR MODIFICATIONS TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE 2025 CALIFORNIA CODES]
ITEM NUMBER ONE.UM, IT WAS AN ATTACHMENT GIVEN TO US ATTACHMENT.
THIS IS FOR DETACHMENT NUMBER TWO, RIGHT? YES.
UH, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE CHAIR.
MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ, THAT IS AN UPDATED ORDINANCE THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THE COUNCIL BY EMAIL.
A COPY HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE DAIS AS WELL AS COPIES HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE FRONT LOBBY FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO THIS WAS, THIS WAS THROUGH, THIS WAS GIVEN AFTER THE, I GUESS A 72 HOUR.
NO, IT'S, IT'S NOT AN A IT'S AN AGENDA ITEM, BUT THE AGENDA WASN'T MODIFIED JUST IN ATTACHMENT.
DID YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION ON THE ATTACHMENT OR THE AGENDA ITEM? UH, I'M JUST TRYING TO DETERMINE IF, UM, IF THE PUBLIC HAD THE CHANCE TO REVIEW, REVIEW THE ITEM SINCE IT WAS TECHNICALLY LAST MINUTE, UM, UH, ADDED.
WAS THERE ANY MAJOR, UH, WHO DID THIS? WHO DID THIS REPORT? MA MADAM MAYOR, THIS IS, UH, WHO, FINAL DRAFT OF THIS OR A FIRST HEARING? FIRST READING.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TWO, TWO READINGS ON THIS.
SO, UM, IT'S A, IT WAS ATTACHED, THIS IS A, A FINAL FORM FOR, UH, YOUR REVIEW AND PUBLIC'S REVIEW TONIGHT.
IT'LL BE FIRST RE INTRODUCTION, AND THEN THE SECOND MEETING, IT'LL BE APPROVAL.
SO WAS, NO MATTER MAYOR, THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC TO LOOK AT THAT, IF THAT'S A CONCERN.
SO WE COULD, SO SHALL WE PUSH THIS TILL THE SECOND ONE'S READY THEN, OR NO, NO, NO, NO.
THERE, THIS IS, THERE IS ONE ORDINANCE AND YOU HAVE TWO READINGS.
THIS IS THE FIRST READING, THE NEXT MEETING.
YOU'LL HAVE SECOND RATING OF THE I, THE IDENTICAL ORDINANCE.
SO PUBLIC WILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO REVIEW.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOVE THE MOTION.
[00:50:01]
CALL.I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN WUA, SECOND BY COUNCIL, UH, BY MAYOR PRO TIM CONTOS TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT BY REFERENCE.
THE 2026 LOS ANGELES COUNTY BUILDING ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, MECHANICAL, RESIDENTIAL, AND EXISTING BUILDING CODES.
[3) CONSIDERATION OF AMENDING PURCHASING THRESHOLDS It is recommended that the City Council adopt the following resolution: RESOLUTION NO. 2026-01 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING PROCUREMENT THRESHOLDS AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SALE, EXCHANGE, AND DISPOSAL OF SURPLUS EQUIPMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS 2-328 AND 2-336 OF DIVISION 2 OF ARTICLE VII OF CHAPTER 2 OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE]
YOU.ONTO ITEM NUMBER THREE, PULLED BY COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ.
SO IF, UH, STAFF PRESENT ON WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE ON THIS ITEM, I'LL ASK OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR KAREN ALAWA TO COME UP.
COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? UH, YEAH, IF YOU COULD TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT THIS ITEM'S ABOUT.
UM, SO THE PROPOSED ITEM TONIGHT IN RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 26 0 1, IS TO INCREASE THE ACTING CITY MANAGER'S PURCHASING THRESHOLD FROM CURRENTLY, WHICH IS AT 50,000 TO 150,000.
AND, UM, WHAT MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE TO ENSURE, UH, ACCOUNTABILITY WHEN INCREASING FUNDING HAPPENS? HOW DOES THE PURCHASE, THE PURCHASING POLICY WORK? UH, WHEN IT COMES TO ITEMS LIKE THIS? UH, SO BASICALLY ANYTHING UNDER 150,000, THE CITY MAN, THE ACTING CITY MANAGER AND OR CITY MANAGER CAN GO AHEAD AND BIND THE CITY IN THE FORM OF A CONTRACT, A PO OR ANY FORM AMENDMENT.
UM, DID YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? YEAH, I'M, I'M LOOKING AT IT AND JUST TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW, UM, THE PUBLIC IS ABLE TO READ ALL THESE AGENDA ON THE WEBSITE AHEAD OF TIME.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION IS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, UM, AND MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER, WHAT MECHANISM WILL YOU PUT IN PLACE, UM, AS ACTING CITY MANAGER, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T SPEND, FOR EXAMPLE, $150,000 AT, ON A SPECIFIC EVENT? JUST BECAUSE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ, I THINK I'VE ALREADY DEMONSTRATED THAT, UM, THROUGH ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY THAT I HAVE CONTROLLED SPENDING, I HAVE MADE CHANGES, AND I'LL CONTINUE THAT WITH THE HIGHEST ETHICAL STANDARDS, MAKE SURE WHATEVER WE SPEND IS REQUIRED AND IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.
I DON'T OVERSPEND, UM, AS YOU'RE AWARE.
UM, AND I ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR TO MAKE SURE, ONE, IT'S ONE THING TO SAY YOU'RE GONNA SPEND $150,000, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S A BUDGETED ITEM AND HAS BECOME BEFORE THE COUNCIL ALREADY.
UM, IF NOT, I WILL COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL AT THAT POINT.
THANK YOU, MILAN? YEAH, I JUST WANTED THANK MYAN FOR GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVE, DO I HAVE A SECOND ROLL CALL? DO I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TIM CONTOS.
A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER WU FOR CONSENT.
ITEM NUMBER THREE, CONSIDERATION OF AMENDING PURCHASING THRESHOLD.
COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? UM, ABSTAIN.
ITEM PASSES FOUR ONE WITH ONE ABSTAINING.
ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PULLED
[4) CONSIDERATION OF THE FOURTH QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT AND BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 It is recommended that the City Council take the following actions: Receive and file the Fourth Quarter Financial Report for Fiscal Year 2024-25; and Adopt the following resolution: RESOLUTION No. 2026-04 OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING JULY 1, 2024 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2025 (BA 2025-23)]
BY MAYOR PROM.THANK YOU FOR THE, THE REPORT.
I JUST HAVE, UH, A FEW QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE, THE PREPARATION OF THE REPORT.
DID, WERE THE NUMBERS THAT WERE UTILIZED THERE DID, WERE THEY PULLED FROM A TIME BEYOND, UH, JUNE 30TH, 2025? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
SO ISN'T IT TRUE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S A, WE HAVE AN ACCOUNTING POLICY THAT SAYS THAT WE SHOULD FREEZE THOSE NUMBERS AT, UH, 20 AT, AT BY THE CONCLUSION OF JUNE 30TH, 2025? THAT IS NOT CORRECT.
WE, UM, ABIDE BY THE MODIFIED ACCRUAL BASIS OF ACCOUNTING.
SO BASICALLY WE HAVE TO HAVE A REVENUE RECOGNITION EXPENDITURE, UM, ACCOUNTS, ANYTHING THEREAFTER.
AND THE 60 DAYS AFTER, SO THROUGH THE END OF AUGUST, IF WE RECEIVE REVENUES AT A TIME THAT COULD BE APPLIED BACK OR EXPENDITURES THAT WERE SERVICES RENDERED PRIOR TO THEN, UM, WE THEN WILL BOOK THAT AS AN ENTRY OR RECOGNIZE IT AS A TRANSACTION.
AND WITH REGARD TO, UH, THE, THE $2.5 MILLION
[00:55:01]
THAT WAS REFERENCED IN THE, ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THE REPORT, CAN YOU FURTHER ELABORATE ON THE ORIGIN OF HOW, UH, YOU CAME UP WITH 2.5 MILLION? I KNOW THAT IT'S, IT'S, THERE ARE A FEW ITEMS LISTED THERE, BUT IT, IT, IT, CAN YOU ELABORATE FURTHER ON WHAT EACH OF THOSE, HOW YOU DEFINE EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES? YES.THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING THIS OPPORTUNITY.
SO FIRST, OVERALL, THE FOURTH QUARTER OF FINANCIAL REPORT IS PRELIMINARY AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OF OUR YEAR END ENTRIES.
SO I'D LIKE TO BE VERY CLEAR AND, UM, ABOUT THAT.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ALL YEAR ENTRIES, WE ARE PROJECTING RIGHT NOW A 4.5 MILLION REALITY.
WE WILL NOT HAVE A 4.4 0.5 MILLION SURPLUS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ACCOUNTING ENTRIES THAT WE STILL HAVE TO BOOK AND RECOGNIZE.
UM, MORE THAN LIKELY WE MIGHT HAVE A SLIGHT SURPLUS.
BUT AGAIN, THE NUMBERS IN THE PRELIMINARY AND IT'S STATED THAT THESE DO NOT INCLUDE OUR YEAREND ACCOUNTING NUMBERS.
NOW WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE GENERAL FUND OVERALL, UM, WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT OUR PROPERTY TAXES AND SALES TAXES AND AS YOU KNOW, COUNTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 66% OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
UM, IS CUT CAME IN HIGHER, CAME IN HIGHER, AND TWO WAS $600,000.
SO THAT IS TO THE GOOD AS FAR AS CHARGES FOR SERVICES, I LIKE TO ALSO MENTION THAT AMBULANCE SERVICES, THE REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THOSE COSTS, UM, ARE COMING IN HIGHER THAN WHAT WE HAD ANTICIPATED IN THE BUDGET, UM, BY THE TUNE OF ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS.
BUT THOSE INCREASES OR OVERAGES AND REVENUES IS BEING OFFSET BY OUR LICENSE AND PERMITS AND UNFORTUNATELY ARE COMING UNDER BUDGET BY $900,000.
I'D LIKE TO JUST CONCLUDE AS FAR AS THE REVENUES ARE CONCERNED, IS THAT THE MUTUAL AID COST REIMBURSEMENTS THAT WE GET, UM, IS ANTICIPATED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 400,000 OVER THE BUDGET.
SO I'M VERY PLEASED TO MAKE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.
AND AS I STATED IN THE QUARTERLY REPORT, THE USE OF MONEY, ALTHOUGH IT REFLECTS THAT IT IS CURRENTLY OVER BUDGET BY 700,000, UNDERSTAND THAT THE YEAREND ENTRIES HAVE NOT BEEN, UH, HAVE NOT BEEN YET INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT AND THAT 700,000 WILL NOT BE RECOGNIZED.
ALL THE REVENUES, UH, FOR THE INTEREST INVESTMENT EARNINGS THAT THE CITY RECEIVES IS IN A POOLED ACCOUNT, WHICH MEANS IT'S NOT SEGREGATED BY THE FUND AT YEAR END.
WE HAVE TO THEN ALLOCATE ANY INTEREST EARNINGS TO THE OTHER SPECIAL REVENUES AND THEREFORE IT'S PART OF THE YEAR AS PART OF THE YEAR IN ENTRY.
AND CURRENTLY AS IS REFLECTED THIS REPORT, IT SHOWS THAT IT'S 700,000 OVER WHEN WE DO THIS YEAREND ENTRY.
HOWEVER, WE'LL BE DISPERSING FUNDS, JUST FOR EXAMPLE, TO GAS TAX TO OUR BUDGET, THE OTHER SPECIAL REVENUES WHICH WILL REDUCE THE GENERAL FUND'S REVENUE.
AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF OUR YEAREND ENTRIES.
UM, AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE REVENUES.
ALSO FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT, UM, IS ON THE BUDGET AMENDMENT SIDE.
AS I STATED EARLIER, UM, OUR, SOME OF OUR REVENUES ARE COMING IN HIGHER OVER BUDGET.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE MUTUAL AID FUNDS AS WELL AS AMBULANCE SERVICES AS WELL AS FRANCHISE FEES.
SO INCLUDED IN TONIGHT'S BUDGET AMENDMENT IS A REVENUE BUDGET AMENDMENT INCREASING THE REVENUE BUDGET FOR THOSE ITEMS. IN PARTICULAR.
ON OTHER SIDE WE TALK ABOUT THE EXPENDITURES.
THESE ARE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS.
CURRENTLY WE'RE AT 94.3% EXPENDED OF A TOTAL BUDGET EMPHASIS, AGAIN, IS THAT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE OUR YEAR END TRANSFERS.
MORE SPECIFICALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT TABLE THREE, THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET VERSUS ACTUAL, WHICH IS LOCATED ON PAGE THREE OF THE FINANCIAL, UH, FINANCIAL REPORT.
YOU'LL NOTICE THE TRANSFERS OUT IS ONLY AT 81%, 81%, UM, EXPANDED TO DATE.
AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE TRANSFERS OUT TO, FOR EXAMPLE, TO THE SPORTSPLEX.
WE, I'LL JUST DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT LATER.
THAT'S PART OF THE YEAREND ENTRIES.
JUST LIKE YOU SAW ON THE REVENUE SIDE, THERE WAS NO REVENUES OR TRANSFERS IN REFLECTED ON THE PAGE BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF OUR YEAR END ENTRY.
MOVING ON TO THE OVERTIME, OVERTIME CAME IN SLIGHTLY HIGHER, ABOUT 200,000 HIGHER THAN BUDGET.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I LIKE TO MENTION THAT THAT IS KIND OF OFFSET BY THE MUTUAL AID REIMBURSEMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED, WHICH IS, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 1.4 MILLION OVER REVENUES, OVER THE BUDGET REVENUES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT TRANSFERS IN TRANSFERS OUT.
I'LL LIKE TO BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE TRANSFERS OUT ON THE GENERAL FUND SIDE.
UM, THE GENERAL FUND WILL BE TRANSFERRING APPROXIMATELY 1.2 MILLION TO OUR GENERAL LIABILITY ACCOUNT AS WELL AS APPROXIMATELY 400,000 TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION.
THIS IS ARE TRANSFERS OUT GOING OUT THE GENERAL FUND, GOING TO OTHER REVENUE TO ANOTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, AND THAT'LL BE INCLUDED OUR FINANCIALS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE AUDIT.
[01:00:02]
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE DO HAVE SOME BUDGET AMENDMENTS INCREASING THE EXPENDITURES OF APPROXIMATELY 1.6 MILLION.AND IF I CAN JUST KIND OF HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE, UH, BUDGET AMENDMENTS, HELP UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ALL ARE.
THE 1.6 MILLION, UM, BASICALLY 'CAUSE COMPRISED OF A TRANSFER GOING TO TWO FUNDS AS STATED EARLIER, IT IS GOING TO THE GENERAL LIABILITY OF 1.2 MILLION, ROUGHLY APPROXIMATELY 400,000 TO THE WORKERS' COMP.
SO NOW YOU'LL SEE THE TRANSFERS GOING OUT AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING FOR TONIGHT, IS THE BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THOSE TRANSFERS.
WITH THAT BE SAID, I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE THAT I HAVEN'T ALREADY ANSWERED OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT.
THE, I APPRECIATE YOU ALSO MENTIONING IN THE REPORT THAT THIS, THESE ARE NOT AUDITED NUMBERS, SO, UH, THERE ALSO HAS NOT BEEN A, AN AUDIT COMMITTEE, UM, UH, THAT HAS BEEN CONVENED OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS.
SO, UH, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH REGARD TO, UH, DELAYING, UH, RECEIVING FILING OF THE, OF THIS REPORT UNTIL WHICH TIME THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, UH, CAN, CAN ASK FOR THE QUESTIONS IN A PUBLIC SETTING AND, AND CAN ALSO, UH, UM, SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER POINTS OF CLARIFICATION IN ADDITION, UH, TO THERE BEING A FORMAL AUDIT OF THE NUMBERS TO MAKE SURE, JUST AS A SAFEGUARD FOR ALL OF US, THAT, THAT THE NUMBERS, UH, ARE, ARE, UH, ACCURATE TO THE BEST OF EVERYONE'S COLLECTIVE ABILITY.
HOWEVER, I DO NEED THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT TO BE ADOPTED HOPEFULLY TONIGHT BECAUSE THIS IS FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, 25.
WE ARE, WE, WE WILL BEGIN OUR AUDIT NEXT WEEK.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET EVERYTHING DONE BY THEN.
AND I NEED A BUDGET AMENDMENT APPROVE SO I CAN GO AHEAD AND SHOW THE REFLECTION OF THE REVENUES COMING IN HIGHER AND SOME OF THE EXPENDITURES THAT NEED BUDGET AMENDMENTS TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE.
AS FAR AS THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, UM, AS SOON AS COUNCIL APPOINTS THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, WE CAN SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH THEM AND MORE THAN WILLING TO DISCUSS THE FINANCIALS AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE GOING IN THE AUDIT IN NEXT WEEK, SO APPROXIMATELY SIX TO EIGHT, SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS THEREAFTER, WE SHOULD HAVE A FINAL AUDITED REPORT THAT I WILL, WE WILL BE BRINGING BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR RECEIVING FILE.
AND ALSO I'LL BE HAVING A PRESENTATION ON THE FINAL NUMBERS.
SO, TO, TO CLARIFY, YOU ARE SAYING THAT YOU, THAT, THAT YOU, UH, NEED APPROVAL TONIGHT IN ORDER TO PROCEED FORWARD WITH, WITH MOVING PROCEEDING WITH THE, UH, BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS.
THAT WOULD THEN BE THE BASIS FOR, FOR A DOCUMENT THAT WILL THEN BE AUDITED, FORMALLY AUDITED, AND ALSO SUBJECT TO REVIEW, UH, BY THE AUDIT COMMITTEE WITH, WITH, UH, ALL OF THAT TAKING PLACE IN A, IN A PUBLIC SETTING, IT WILL BE REVIEWED BY THE AUDITORS.
IF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE REQUESTS TO REVIEW ALL OUR BUDGET AMENDMENTS, BY ALL MEANS WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, BUT AGAIN, THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS ARE BROUGHT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT IS A PUBLIC DOCUMENT, IT IS INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA.
SO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ALREADY HAS ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION.
IF WE NEED FURTHER EXPLANATION, I'M MORE THAN WILLING TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THEM.
IN LIGHT OF THE URGENCY OF THIS, IS THERE A REASON WHY THE, THIS REPORT WASN'T PROVIDED EARLIER, UH, IN THE CALENDAR YEAR, UH, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE IN A POSITION NOW TO HAVE TO APPROVE THIS WITHOUT IT BEING FORMALLY AUDITED? UH, WELL ACTUALLY BUDGET AMENDMENTS ARE NOT FORMALLY AUDITED.
THEY ARE BROUGHT TO CITY COUNCIL MIDYEAR THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR.
THE AUDIT IS CONDUCTED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO THE AUDITORS REVIEW THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT ARE APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AFTER THE FACT.
SO RATIFICATION OF THEIR REVIEW AS FAR AS WHY WE'RE HERE SO LATE IN THE FISCAL YEAR.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, UM, THERE HAS BEEN SEPARATION OR DEPARTURE FROM THE FRENCH DIRECTOR BACK IN FEBRUARY, THERE HAS BEEN AN ABSENCE OF THE FINANCE DIRECTOR UNTIL MY TERM, UM, OFFICIALLY WAS IN AUGUST.
THERE ARE SEVERAL MONTHS THAT WE HAD TO CATCH UP ON, AND WE ARE STILL TRYING TO CATCH UP ON, WE HAD ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED THE AUDIT TO TAKE PLACE IN NOVEMBER.
NOW THAT WAS SCHEDULED IN CALENDAR LAST YEAR, NOT KNOWING THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A CHANGEOVER IN STAFF.
SO DUE TO ALL THESE CHANGE ORDERS, IT DOES DELAY.
IT DID REQUIRE US TO DO A LOT OF CATCH UP, AND WE ARE AGAIN, TRYING TO GET OUR AUDIT READY FOR MONDAY.
AND I AM STILL WORKING ON AUDIT SCHEDULES, BY THE WAY, AND SO IS MY STAFF, WHICH I'M GRATEFUL FOR.
I I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS, YOUR BEST EFFORTS WITH, WITH STAFF, BUT I, I DO WORRY ABOUT THERE NOT BEING A FORMAL AUDIT WITH REGARD TO THESE, THESE NUMBERS.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.
DO HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? YES.
SO WHAT, WHAT, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, BUT THE FIRST, I'LL START OFF, UH, SINCE YOU JUST MENTIONED IT.
SO AGAIN, WHAT'S THE URGENCY TO APPROVE THIS THEN? THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT ARE BEING IN CON FOR CONSIDERATION
[01:05:01]
TONIGHT WILL NOT ONLY INCREASE THE REVENUES, BUT ALSO THE EXPENDITURES THAT GIVES US THE AUTHORITY TO THEN PROCEED WITH OUR GENERAL ENTRIES.THE COUNCIL ADOPTED THE BUDGET, AND IT IS OUTSIDE OF MY AUTHORITY AS WELL AS THE ACTING CITY MANAGER TO GO OVER AND ABOVE WHAT HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
SO HOW MUCH ARE YOU ASKING TO INCREASE, UH, THE BUDGET AMENDMENT? WE HAVE TWO ELEMENTS OF IT.
AGAIN, THAT'S DUE TO THE INCREASE IN REVENUES HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED.
THE BUDGET, AND THIS STRICTLY IN GENERAL FUND, UH, IS 2.4 MILLION.
THAT'S A REVENUE INCREASE FOR GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS OFFSET BY AN INCREASE OF 1.6 MILLION ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE FOR THE TRANSFERS OF FUNDS THAT I STATED EARLIER FOR THE GENERAL LIABILITY AND THE, FOR THE WORKERS' COMP.
SO THE NET EFFECT TO THE BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUEST FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS BASICALLY A SURPLUS OF $790,000.
SEE, MY, MY CONCERN IS, UH, KIND OF LIKE WHAT CON MAYOR, PRO CONTOS IS STATING.
UM, SO I UNDERSTAND WE SPOKE ABOUT IT BRIEFLY IN, IN, UM, YEAH.
THEN WE SPOKE ABOUT IT IN PUBLIC SESSION, UM, AND THEN WE SAID IT AGAIN IN PUBLIC SESSION, AND THEN I COULD HAVE SWORN AS A FACT THAT IT WAS BROUGHT BACK TO US AND WE DID VOTE ON COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT WERE LISTED ON THERE FOR APPROVAL.
CAN WE, AND WE DOUBLE CHECK THAT AFTER I, I GUESS NEXT BUSINESS DAY OR SOMETHING THROUGH THE CHAIR, IF I MAY ANSWER HIS QUESTION, WE MAY DO THAT, BUT TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT ITEM WAS PULLED, UM, BY THE CITY MANAGER AND NO FORMAL ACTION WAS TAKEN, IT WOULD'VE REQUIRED THE ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY THE BODY AS A WHOLE.
I THINK, UH, MAYOR PROAM CONTOS, PROCEDURALLY, AND THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
IN LIGHT OF OUR, OUR ALREADY, UH, WANTING TO APPOINT THOSE, THOSE AUDIT COMMITTEE MEMBERS, IS THERE A WAY TO, TO, UH, BRING THAT AND LAY THAT ON, UH, REMOVE THAT FROM THE TABLE NOW BECAUSE IT WAS A FORMER FORMER AGENDA ITEM? OR IS IT REQUIRED TO AGENDIZE BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE APPOINTMENT AND APPROVAL OF THOSE AUDIT COMMITTEE MEMBERS, SO AS TO GET THEM SEATED SO THEY CAN REVIEW THESE DOCUMENTS? YEAH, MAYOR PRO TEM IS GONNA HAVE TO BE AGENDIZED AT A NEXT, AT THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING BEFORE YOU CAN VOTE ON THAT.
WAS THAT YOUR QUESTION? YOU CAN'T BRING IT UP TONIGHT AND VOTE ON IT TONIGHT.
SO IF WE WERE TO, TO, TO BRING IT UP IN TWO, IN TWO WEEKS AND, AND AGENDA IS THAT TONIGHT, THEN WE CAN APPROVE OF THE SEATING OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MEMBERS TWO WEEKS FROM TONIGHT, AFTER WHICH THEY CAN BE IMMEDIATELY CONVENED TO REVIEW THE, THE NUMBERS AND THE REPORT AS PRESENTED BY THE, UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR.
YOU, YOU CAN APPROVE THE, THE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE IN A COUPLE WEEKS IF IT'S PREPARED.
IF IT'S READY BY THEN, I'M ASSUMING IT WILL BE THROUGH THE CHAIR.
JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON, UM, AND FOR POINT OF CLARIFICATION, UM, THERE WAS A REQUEST TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS.
SO WHILE I DO HEAR THAT THERE IS SOME CONVERSATION AROUND, UM, REAPPOINTING, UM, THE INCUMBENTS, UM, THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR TO REVIEW THOSE APPLICATIONS.
AND SO AT A COURTESY TO ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, STAFF WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE THOSE APPLICATIONS TO THEM.
IF TWO WEEKS PROVIDES THE COUNCIL ENOUGH TIME TO REVIEW THOSE APPLICATIONS AND TO MAKE A DETERMINATION, WE'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW SUIT.
DO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? NO, MADAM MAYOR COUNCIL.
UH, COUNCILMAN WU? YEAH, I, I KIND OF UNDERSTAND.
THE FINANCE DIRECTORS AND YOUR EXPLANATION.
THIS IS AMENDMENT, SO MEANING YOU ALSO TO APPROVE.
SO FOR THAT, THEN NEXT WEEK YOU CAN START THE AUDIT.
SO YOU HAVE A LIKE, KIND OF URGENCY RATHER THAN DELAY AND DELAY.
SO I, SO I, I A HUNDRED PERCENT UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU CONCERNED BECAUSE IT'S A PUBLIC REC PUBLIC INFORMATION ALREADY, SO THERE'S REALLY NO POINT TO DELAY IT.
AND THEN, OKAY, AFTER YOU GO TO THE NEXT WEEK, YOU CAN FORMALLY ORDER ABOUT ALL THE SPENDING AND ALL THE INFORMATION, BUT NOW WE JUST NEED TO APPROVE WHAT'S AMENDED WITH A NEW INCOME AND EXPENDITURE.
AND IF WE DON'T APPROVE, BASICALLY WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY BASED ON YOUR BOOK.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE, THE ACCOUNTING ISSUE.
SO I WANT TO MOVE THE MOTION TO APPROVE.
WHEN I DIDN'T FINISH MY QUESTIONS.
UM, UM, SO, SO YOU NEED THIS REPORT FOR AN AUDIT.
I NEED THIS REPORT TO HAVE THE BUDGET AMENDMENT APPROVED, INCREASING THE APPROPRIATIONS, BOTH ON THE REVENUE AND ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE.
FOR, FOR CLARIFICATION FOR THIS COUNCIL MEMBER OF THIS BOARD.
AS YOU KNOW, IN PAST PRACTICES, UM, EVERY QUARTER BUDGET EVENTS BE TAKEN TO COUNCIL.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, IN THE PAST, THE FUNDS WOULD HAD BEEN SPENT THEN COMING BACK TO COUNCIL FOR AUTHORIZATION
[01:10:01]
TO INCREASE THE BUDGET APPROPRIATION.THIS IS PART OF OUR YEAR IN PROCESS.
SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, I HAVE BEEN TAKING ANY BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT I NEED PRIOR TO SPENDING IT TO THE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
AND THAT IS HOW WE'RE PROCEEDING ON FROM THIS, FROM SINCE I'VE BEEN ON UNTIL THEREAFTER.
WHAT I'M TO RESTATE THAT IF WE HAVE A CONTRACT OR SERVICES THAT REQUIRES ADDITIONAL FUNDING, ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION BEFORE WE WILL ENGAGE OR BIND THE CITY IN A CONTRACT AND AGREEMENT, WE WOULD, WE HAVE BEEN TAKING THAT AGREEMENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL ALONG WITH THE BUDGET AMENDMENT TO INCREASE THE APPROPRIATION.
NOT A RATIFICATION, BUT IT'S PRIOR TO, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
THIS ONE, HOWEVER, IS AT A YEAR END PROCESS, ITS CUSTOMER IS VERY COMMON.
THE CITY'S DONE IT IN THE PAST WHERE WE TAKE ANYTHING THAT HAS EXCEEDED TO THE COUNCIL, AGAIN, FOR THIS EVENING'S CONSIDERATION, I HAVE NOT ONLY A BUDGET REVENUE AMENDMENT, WHICH IS BEING OFFSET BY THE BUDGET EXPENDITURE, BUT THE NET OVERALL REQUEST THAT I'M ASKING FOR, FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS AN INCREASE OF OUR REVENUES.
AND, AND AT THE LAST MEETING, YOU STATED THAT YOU HAD TO DIP INTO THE RESERVES TO PAY FOR THE LEGAL BILLS AND INVESTIGATIONS.
SO NOW WE'RE IN A SURPLUS, UH, RIGHT NOW, I COULDN'T TELL WE, WE MAY HAVE A SURPLUS AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 25, THE INVESTIGATION, THE, UM, REFERRED, YOU REFERRED TO THE LEGAL INVOICES HAVE NOT BEEN PAID BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDING FOR THE APPROPRIATION, IF YOU WOULD MM-HMM
AND THAT'S, WE WENT TO COUNSEL AND ASKED FOR THE $500,000 FOR THOSE PARTICULAR SERVICES.
NOW THAT WE HAVE THE BUDGET, NOW WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PAY THOSE INVOICES, WHICH WE HAVE NOT YET DONE.
SO HOW ARE YOU PAYING THAT? IF YOU, LAST MEETING YOU STATED THAT YOU HAD TO, SO ARE YOU TAKING MONEY FROM THE RESERVES THEN TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET? YES.
AS I STATED, THE MEETING, WE ARE DEFINITELY TAKING THE 500,000 FOR THE LEGAL SERVICES AND THE 500,000 FOR THE EMERGENCY REPAIRS FROM THE GENERAL FUND RESERVES.
SO IT'S A SAFE THAT THE REASON WHY THIS BUDGET IS BALANCED IS BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING FROM THE RESERVE FUNDS.
THEN THIS BUDGET, THAT THIS IS A BUDGET AMENDMENT, THIS IS NOT A BUDGET.
WHAT IT IS, IS A PRELIMINARY FINANCIAL REPORT.
SO IS IT SAFE TO SAY THIS PRELIMINARY FINANCIAL REPORT IS BALANCED BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING FROM THE RESERVE FUNDS? UH, AS IT, AS IT LOOKS RIGHT NOW, I THINK THAT FISCAL YEAR 25, WE MIGHT END UP WITH A SLIGHT SURPLUS AND A GENERAL FUND SURPLUS AND NOT A DEFICIT.
THAT'S FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, 26.
AS I GONE TO COUNCIL, WE'VE TAKEN TO THE COUNCIL THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
WE, WE CLEARLY STATE THAT WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO DIP IN RESERVES BECAUSE THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN GENERAL FUND.
AND, AND MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT I FAILED TO AN EXTENT THAT THIS IS NOTHING AGAINST YOU, BUT TO AN EXTENT, POTENTIALLY WE COULD POTENTIALLY ARE MISLEADING THE PUBLIC TO BELIEVE THAT THE BUDGET IS BALANCED, BUT YET WE'RE TAKING FROM OUR RESERVE FUNDS IN ORDER TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.
AND WE ARE TECHNICALLY POTENTIALLY GUESSING MAYBE AND HOW MUCH REVENUE IS GONNA COME IN.
BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS.
IS IT SAYS THIS REPORT STATES THAT FIGURES ARE PRELIMINARY AND UNAUDITED.
WHY IS THE COUNCIL BEING ASKED TO ADOPT A BUDGET AMENDMENT BEFORE AUDITED YEAR END NUMBERS ARE AVAILABLE, UH, AS DONE IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS TO THE CITY AT PART OF THE YEAR END PROCESS.
ONCE WE RATTLE OUR NUMBERS AND WE DETERMINE WHERE WE STAND, IF THERE IS AN OVERAGE OF EITHER A REVENUE EXCEEDING THE BUDGET OR AN EXPENDITURE, WE GENERALLY COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND ASK YOU TO AMEND THE BUDGET TO BE REFLECTED.
AND CAN STAFF CLEARLY, UH, CAN, CAN STAFF CLARIFY WHETHER THIS REPORT IS PREPARED ON A CASH BASIS OR AN ACCRUAL BASIS, AND HOW THAT AFFECTS THE ACCURACY OF THE FOURTH QUARTER LABEL? THIS IS A MODIFIED ACCRUAL BASIS OF COUNTING, AND THIS IS A PRELIMINARY FOURTH QUARTER AS IT STATED.
AND WHAT MATERIAL CHANGES, IF ANY, DOES STAFF ANTICIPATE ONCE THE YEAR END OCCURS AND AUDIT ADJUSTMENTS ARE COMPLETED? UM, I CAN GIVE YOU A CLEAR EXAMPLE.
PART OF THE BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT I'M REQUESTING, UM, IS TO DO A OPERATING TRANSFER.
SO AGAIN, WE'LL BE TRANSFERRING 1.2 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE GENERAL LIABILITY, WHICH IS A SEPARATE FUND AND APPROXIMATELY 400,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE WORKERS' COMP.
AND THAT GOES TO MY NEXT QUESTION.
SO THE REPORT SHOWS A NET BALANCE OF ZERO AFTER TRANSFERS.
HOW MUCH OF THAT RESULT IS ATTRIBUTED TO INTERFUND TRANSFERS VERSUS ACTUAL OPERATING PERFORMANCE? UM, OPERATING PERFORMANCE, A A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THE SPORTS COMPLEX, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN, IN MY REPORT HERE, UH, TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THE VISUAL AID.
[01:15:01]
PAGE NUMBER FOUR OF THE QUARTERLY REPORT ON TABLE SEVEN, I'VE IDENTIFIED THAT THE SPORTS COMPLEX, THE BUDGET VERSUS THE ACTUAL, HERE, WE SURMISED IT AND VERY SIMPLY PUT, THE EXPENDITURES HAVE EXCEEDED THE REVENUES BY APPROXIMATELY 725,000.SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN GUTTIER, THE GENERAL FUND WILL BE SUBSIDIZING THE SPORTS COMPLEX ACTIVITIES TO THE TUNE OF 725,000.
AND THEN IF THE TRANSFERS SHOWN IN EXHIBIT A HAD NOT OCCURRED, WHAT WOULD THE GENERAL FUND'S NET POSITION BE? THESE ARE TRANSFERS COMING OUTTA THE GENERAL FUND TO OTHER REVENUES, NOT VICE VERSA.
AND, AND SO THAT'S MY NEXT QUESTION.
SO ARE THESE TRANSFERS ONE-TIME ADJUSTMENTS OR DO THEY REFLECT ONGOING STRUCTURAL DEFICITS IN CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS OR FUNDS? UH, I WOULD SAY THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SPORTS COMPLEX, THE SPORTSPLEX, EXCUSE ME, THAT IS A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, I THINK I WENT BACK SEVERAL YEARS.
THE GENERAL FUND HAS BEEN SUBSIDIZED IN THE SUPPORT PLEX.
THAT IS WHAT I REFER TO AS A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT WHERE THE EXPENDITURES EXCEED THAT OF THE OPERATING REVENUES THAT IT GENERATES.
AND THEN, UM, THE REPORT STATES OVER OVERTIME IS OVER BUDGET DUE TO LIMITED STAFFING RESOURCES.
IS THIS A TEMPORARY CONDITION OR A STRUCTURAL STAFFING ISSUE? WE ARE HOPING IT'S A TEMPORARY, UH, SITUATION.
WE ARE SHORT STAFFED IN BOTH, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY, BOTH POLICE AND FIRE.
BUT WHAT I LIKE TO STATE IS THE OVERTIME EXCEEDED BUDGET BY APPROXIMATELY 200,000.
WE ALSO RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 1.4 MILLION IN MUTUAL AID FUNDS.
SO WHEN, WHEN, SAY FOR EXAMPLE, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY GETS CALLED OUT FOR MUTUAL AID ASSISTANCE MM-HMM
THAT'S IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR HOURS.
WE THEN GET REIMBURSED ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M STATING ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
WE'RE BRINGING IN OVER A MILLION, ABOUT 1.4 MILLION IN MUTUAL AID FUNDS.
SO THAT OFFSETS THE ADDITIONAL 200,000 THAT I NEED FOR THE OVERTIME.
AND IF OVERTIME PRESSURES ARE STRUCTURAL, ARE THEY NOT REF, WHY ARE THEY NOT REFLECTING IN BASE STAFFING OR BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS GOING FORWARD? WHEN THE BUDGET WAS PUT TOGETHER, THEY BASICALLY LOOKED AT THREE YEAR PRIOR ACTUALS, THREE YEARS OF ACTUALS TO GET AN IDEA AND ESTIMATE WHAT THE OVERTIME'S GONNA BE.
HOWEVER, UM, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PROJECT HAVING STAFF SHORTAGE OR ANY EMERGENCIES THAT MAY COME UP THAT WILL THEN REQUIRE OVERTIME.
I'M GONNA, UH, WE CAN GO ON FOREVER.
AND THIS IS NOT A BUDGET, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE, SO I, I'M JUST GONNA PRETTY MUCH, THIS IS A BUDGET AMENDMENT AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THERE IS A SURPLUS.
AND SO, COUNCILMAN, COULD YOU, CAN I, MY QUESTIONS SIT ON AN AUDIT COMMITTEE.
YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO.
WELL, YOU ARE ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AND YOU HAVE THIS INFORMATION PRIOR AHEAD OF TIME.
I KNOW, I, I, I KNOW A LOT OF THIS, BUT THE PROBLEM IS THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW LETTI.
AND, AND, AND MAY I UNDERSTAND, AWARE OF WHAT, IT'D BE GREAT IF YOU WOULD MEET AND THEN HAVE THAT RELATE.
BUT AGAIN, THIS, IF I COULD JUST AGENDA IF I, THE LAST TWO QUESTIONS, PLEASE.
UM, IT SAYS THE STAFF DOES, THE REPORT STATES THE RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED AS TO FORM BY THE CITY ATTORNEY.
CAN STAFF CONFIRM THAT THIS REVIEW DOES NOT ADDRESS FINANCIAL ACCURACY OR POLICY RISK? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND HAS AN INDEPENDENT FISCAL OR OPERATIONAL REVIEW BEEN CONDUCTED BEYOND STANDARD LEGAL FORM REVIEW? I'M SORRY, CAN YOU RESTATE THAT? HAS ANY INDEPENDENT FISCAL OR OPERATIONAL REVIEW BEING CONDUCTED BEYOND STANDARD LEGAL FORM REVIEW AS A DATE? NO.
THE AUDIT AGAIN WILL BEGIN NEXT WEEK.
THAT'S YOUR TWO QUESTIONS AND I SECOND THE MOTION, UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN WU, A SECOND BY MAYOR LOPEZ VITO, REGARDING, UH, ITEM CONSENT.
CALENDAR ITEM NUMBER FOUR, CONSIDERATION OF THE FOURTH QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT AND BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 25.
UH, I THINK IT'S FISCAL IN RESPONSIBLE TO VOTE ON SOMETHING LAST MINUTE WHEN THERE'S OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC JUST VOTE, THE PUBLIC HAS THE RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT.
UM, THAT COMPLETES OUR CONSENT CALENDAR,
[5) CONSIDERATION OF CITY POLICY REGARDING INSTALLATION OF PRIVATELY OWNED SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS IN PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY]
DEPARTMENT REGULAR MATTERS, UH, ITEM, WELL, THE CONSIDERATION OF CITY POLICY REGARDING INSTALLATION OF PRIVATELY OWNED SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS IN PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.I'M GONNA CALL UP OUR CITY AND JUROR MICHAEL LLOYD AND BRIAN CERVANTES TO PRESENT.
[01:20:03]
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, MAYOR PROAM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.THIS ITEM IS A REQUEST FOR COUNCIL DIRECTION RELATED TO PRIVATE CAMERAS BEING ALLOWED IN PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
STAFF HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL REQUESTS TO ALLOW PRIVATE CAMERAS TO BE PLACED IN PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
UNI MUNICIPAL CODE IS SILENT ON PRIVATE CAMERAS AS RELATED TO ENCROACHMENT PERMITS.
THE CODE WAS PRIMARILY, PRIMARILY WRITTEN TO DEAL WITH EXCAVATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION WITHIN PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY BASED UPON A REVIEW OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
THE OPTIONS PRESENTED TONIGHT FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION ARE THE FOLLOWING.
FIRST, PROHIBIT ALL PRIVATE CAMERAS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
SECOND, ALLOW PRIVATE CAMERAS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY FOR ALL PROPERTY OWNERS.
THIRD, ALLOW PRIVATE CAMERAS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY FOR HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS.
AND THEN FOURTH OTHER DIRECTION AS COUNCIL SEES FIT, UH, STAFF RE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS THAT COUNCIL PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF.
COUNCIL, DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? UH, GO AHEAD.
MAYOR PRO, UH, MAYOR PRO CONTOS.
UM, MR. CERVANTES, UH, WITH REGARD, THANK YOU FOR, FOR PROVIDING THE, THE GENERAL OVERVIEW.
UH, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR COUNSEL TO GIVE DIRECTION THAT, UH, IF THAT WE WOULD, IF WE WERE TO GO FOR, LET'S SAY, OPTION NUMBER TWO, THAT ALLOWS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF CAMERAS IN PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, THAT WE ALSO REQUIRE THAT IF THAT EVER DOES OCCUR, THAT THE RESIDENT OR PRIVATE ENTITIES WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REMOVING OR DISMANTLING, UH, CAMERAS AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE, SHOULD THE, SHOULD THEY IN THE FUTURE OPT TO TO NO LONGER, UH, HAVE THOSE SERVICES THAT THEY PRIVATELY PAY FOR? UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, WE WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO PUT TOGETHER GUIDELINES.
UM, AND STAFF WOULD WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AS WELL AS CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO COME UP WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND POLICIES, UH, AS WELL AS RECOMMENDATIONS POTENTIALLY TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE SO THAT IT'S NO LONGER SILENT.
AND IT WOULD ADDRESS THAT VERY ISSUE.
IT WOULD BE BROUGHT BACK FOR COUNCIL'S REVIEW AND APPROVAL AT THAT TIME.
AND IS IT ALSO POSSIBLE FOR THIS COUNCIL TO GIVE A DIRECTION THAT IF, IF THERE ARE, UH, AUTHORIZED EFFORTS TO PLACE THESE CAMERAS BY PUBLIC, BY PRIVATE ENTITIES ON PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY THAT NO ENTITY, UH, OTHER, OTHER THAN THE RE THE PRIVATE RESIDENCE OR THE POLICE WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE CAMERAS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES SO AS TO HELP AVOID THE POSSIBILITY OF, OF JUST RANDOM FOLKS GOING ONLINE TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT CAMERA FEEDS? WE WOULD DEFINITELY, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE REVIEW WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL PRIVACY ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED APPROPRIATELY.
UM, JUST AS A BRIEF STATEMENT, I, I WOULD, UM, PERSONALLY RECOMMEND, UM, OPTION NUMBER TWO WITH THOSE TWO CAVEATS.
UH, I WANT TO FOLLOW THROUGH OKAY.
ABOUT, UH, I WANTED THE DETAIL WHEN YOU TALKING ABOUT, PROBABLY RIGHT AWAY, SO MAYBE YOU CAN MORE DETAIL IT.
STREET TELEPHONE POOL AND THIS AND THAT.
AND THE, THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, THEY WANT TO PUT INSTALL CAMERA.
AND THEY HAVE NO WAY THEY WANT TO PUT IN ON THEIR STREET.
THAT, AND SO WE'VE REC, AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE RECEIVED SEVERAL REQUESTS.
IT'S COME FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES, BUT THE REQUEST HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO PUT, UH, A PRIVATE CAMERA FOR SECURITY PURPOSES WITHIN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
SO WITHIN THE, UM, LANDSCAPED AREA BEHIND THE CURB ADJACENT TO SIDEWALKS WHERE THEY EXIST, THEY'RE WANTING TO EITHER ATTACH IT TO AN EXISTING POLE OR INSTALL A POLE AND ATTACH A CAMERA TO IT.
SO IN, IN THE ISSUE WILL BE IF THE OKAY, RESIDENT WANT TO INSTALL A SECURITY CAMERA ON THE PROPERTY RIGHT AWAY.
MAYBE ON, ON THE CITY PROPERTY, ON THE STREET, TELEPHONE POOL LIPO.
AND THE VICTIM NEED TO GET A PERMIT? CORRECT.
AND THEN WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CAMERA AND FOR THE SAFETY LIABILITY ISSUE? RIGHT.
SO THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS IS OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD NEED TO WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE TO PROTECT THE CITY.
'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT OUR CAMERA, WE'RE ALLOWING SOMEONE ELSE TO PLACE IT IN OUR RIGHT OF WAY.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO ASSUME ANY LIABILITY IF THE CAMERA FALLS DOWN, WHATEVER MALFUNCTIONS DOES SOMETHING.
IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO, IT'S NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY, IT'S THE CAMERA OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT WE HAVE NO OBLIGATION FROM A MAINTENANCE, ANY, ANY TYPE OF FINANCIAL OBLIGATION EITHER.
BECAUSE THE, THE COEN ENVIRONMENT OF BURGLARY GOING AROUND.
[01:25:02]
DON'T FEEL SAFE AND THEY WANT A CAMERA AROUND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.AND, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I THINK THIS IS GOOD TO HAVE SOME SECURITY CAMERA.
AND THEN THEY HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH AND THEY PUT A SIGN AND THEY WORK WITH ALL POLICE DEPARTMENT REGARDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH AND YOU UNDER SURVEILLANCE REGARDING THE CAMERA ISSUE YOU POSTED.
SO YOU KIND DETER POTENTIALLY THE CRIME AND THE ANY ISSUE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, OKAY.
WHEN PEOPLE APPLY THAT, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF GUIDELINE.
FOR THEM, I THINK REGARDING THE OPTION TWO, ALLOW THE INSTALLATION OF PROBABLY ON THE CAMERA IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY TO OWNERS OKAY.
ASSOCIATION AND, UH, THE FRONTAGE AREA, HOA OR ALLOW THEM, SO I THINK OKAY.
SOME OF THE, UH, UH, PERMIT AND THEY CUTTING, INCLUDING SOME GUIDELINE.
AND SO BOTH, I UNDERSTAND IF THEY INSTALL IN THE CT PROPERTY, THEY STILL LIABLE AND POTENTIALLY THEY NEED TO BE.
INSURANCE, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
SO, SO IN THAT WAY, SO WE, WE, WE, I THINK WE SHOULD WORK WITH THE, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE RESIDENT.
BECAUSE THEY, THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WITH THIS CAN HELP THEM.
AND, UH, THEN, THEN I THINK AGAIN, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH WILL BE THE BEST, INCLUDING THE CAMERA AND ALL COMBINED TOGETHER WITH JUST OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OKAY.
DRIVING AROUND AND OUR POLICE.
AND I THINK WE ALL INCREASE OUR SAFETY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I, UH, AS PEOPLE KNOW ME, I AM A CAMERA PERSON.
I MEAN, I WAS THE ONE WHO WAS PUSHING FOR THE FLOCK CAMERA, SO I A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE WITH THIS.
I DON'T MIND OPTION TWO OR THREE, I KNOW WITH PRIVATE OWNED CAMERAS AT THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY FOR RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, WE, AS WE'VE SEEN IS THERE'S ROBBERY AND THEY, WE CAN'T GET THE LICENSE PLATE, YOU KNOW, TO GET THE, THE CAR TO DETAILS, TO GIVE TO PD, UH, GRAFFITI, SOME SPOTS ARE BEING HIT AT A CONSTANT SAME MOMENT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE, AGAIN, LICENSE PLATE THE PERSON OR INFORMATION OR, UM, THE DAY AND TIME.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP WITH THREE, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND, I MEAN, THAT IS THE FORTE OF LIKE, UH, GETTING THE, UH, THE PRIVATELY OWNED CAMERAS, HOW THAT WORKS.
AND, UM, I UNDERSTAND WE'RE NOT LIABLE, BUT THEN WHAT IF THEY MOVE, THEY LEAVE THE CAMERAS THERE, HOW DO WE KNOW IT'S ACTIVE? UM, ARE WE ABLE TO PDS ABLE TO LOG IN? SO I, THAT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE.
UM, AND I KNOW OPTION TWO ONLY SAYS HOA, UM, AND AS COUNCILMAN WU MENTIONED, THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, RIGHT? WELL, THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH IS A BUNCH OF OWNERS COMBINED.
NOW, WHICH OWNER'S RESPONSIBLE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN HOA, BUT I DO LIKE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH IS FOR THAT.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO HAVE RESIDENTS, UM, AS WELL TO GET THAT, BUT THAT WOULD HAVE TO WORK ON THE DETAILS AND SO FORTH ON THAT.
AND, AND UNDERSTOOD MAYOR, AND THANK YOU.
AND, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER WU.
UM, SO AGAIN, THAT'S, UM, DIRECTION THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING TONIGHT THAT WE CAN GO BACK FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, ANY KIND OF, IF YOU WILL BAKE IT INTO WHAT THE PROCEDURE AND THE POLICY IS SO THAT IT'S PART OF THE PERMIT PROCESS.
AND AGAIN, IT'LL ADDRESS INSURANCE LIABILITY, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE, ALL THOSE DETAILS THAT WOULD THEN COME BACK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.
I'D LIKE TO, INSTEAD OF LIMITING TO JUST ONE OPTION, I WOULD LIKE TO COMBINE OPTION TWO AND THREE TOGETHER.
UH, COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? YES.
UM, IS OUR POLICE CHIEF STILL HERE? CHIEF CORTINA? CHIEF CORTINA? NO.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA ASK HIM WHAT HE, WHAT, WHAT HIS VIEWS WERE, BUT, UM, DO YOU KNOW IF, WOULD THESE BE, THESE WILL BE TRANSMITTED BACK TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY WILL BE THE ACTUAL FLOCK BRAND? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THESE WOULD BE PRIVATELY OWNED.
THE PRIVATE CITIZEN WOULD HAVE THE OPTION OF SHARING IT WITH THE CITY AND THE PD.
AND THEY WON'T HAVE ACCESS TO LIKE THE DMV FILES AND SO FORTH, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY WAY THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE.
SO I THINK, UM, YEAH, I THINK, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
UM, UH, I CONCUR, UH, WITH THE MAYOR ABOUT TWO AND THREE.
UM, AND, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE A, SOME SORT OF PERMIT PROCESS AND, AND, AND SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE.
SO, UM, IF YOU CAN ALSO INVOLVE PD WITH THIS MEETING, UH, AND IF THE CAMERAS ARE GONNA BE OUT THERE, I KNOW IT'S PRIVATELY OWNED, PRIVATE, EVERYTHING, THEY SHOULD GIVE ACCESS TO PD SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT INSTANT, UM, COLLABORATION WITH THE PUBLIC AND THE CITIZENS.
WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS WELL AS PD, AND WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN.
[01:30:01]
OKAY.UH, MAYOR PROM, CONTOS, THANK YOU.
AND, AND AS, AS, AS A SUPPLEMENT TO ALL OF THIS, UH, UM, CAN, CAN YOU ALSO, UH, ASK, UH, FLOCK, UH, FOR, FOR, UM, OR HAVE, HAVE THE APPROPRIATE INDIVIDUALS WORK WITH FLOCK TO, TO HAVE THEM PROVIDE ASSURANCES THAT, THAT ANY, ANY FEED IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE, UH, TO, UH, TO PD AND, AND ONLY TO THEIR PRIVATE RESIDENTS, UNLESS THEY, THEY DECIDE TO SHARE THEIR, THEIR NETWORKS WITH, WITH PD.
AND IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE ARE FEARS OUT THERE AND WORRIES ABOUT, UH, PRIVACY CONCERNS BECAUSE OF HACKING INTO THE SYSTEMS AND SO FORTH.
SO JUST TO OBTAIN WRITTEN, UH, ASSURANCES AND DOCUMENTATION TO ENSURE THAT THAT PRIVACY IS ALSO, UH, UH, FEARS ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE ADDRESSED APPROPRIATELY.
BUT YES, I, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THESE CAMERAS THOUGH.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, IT JUST REMINDED ME A FEW YEARS AGO I HAD BROUGHT UP THE RING PROGRAM.
UM, I WANT YOU TO LOOK INTO THAT TO SEE IF THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED AS LIKE A DISCOUNT FOR THE RESIDENTS.
THEY'RE ALL IN LIKE ONE NETWORK.
UM, BECAUSE CURRENTLY RING, IF YOU HAVE THAT CAMERA, YOU CAN SHARE WITH OTHERS.
SO THERE IS THAT OPTION, UM, WHICH IS PERFECT TO SHARING WITH, UM, PD FOR INFORMATION.
SO IF YOU CAN LOOK INTO TO THAT, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS ONLY PRIVATE CAMERAS.
I MEAN, RESIDENTS ARE NOT GOING TO UTILIZE OR BRING IN THE FLOCK CAMERA.
UM, THAT ONE IS SPECIFICALLY FOR, YEAH, FOR PD AND AT A HIGHER LEVEL CALIBER.
GRANTED THE BUSINESSES, WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT BUSINESSES CAN INCLUDE THE FLOCK CAMERA, BUT THEN THAT'S A WHOLE NEW DIFFERENT TOPIC.
BUT WE ARE TALKING AND DISCUSSING ABOUT RESIDENTS AND PRIVATE OWNED CAMERAS.
SO, UM, THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD LOVE TO MOTION THIS, UM, MOTION THIS, UH, COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES.
UM, AND, AND THEN, UM, SORRY,
OUR ENCROACHMENT PERMIT PROCESS.
SO STAFF WASN'T IN A POSITION BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THESE REQUESTS TO MOVE FORWARD ON GRANTING APPROVALS.
UM, GUIDELINES, THE PERMITTING PROCESS NEEDS TO BE CLEAR MM-HMM
IN TERMS OF WHO CAN DO IT AND HOW IT'S DONE.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY ADDRESS THE LIABILITY SIDE OF THINGS, THE INSURANCE AND PRIVACY CONCERNS, ALL OF THOSE DETAILS NEED TO BE WORKED OUT.
SO MAYBE YOU COULD LOOK INTO THE RING ONE AND THEN EVEN, UH, EVEN THE FLAW CAMERA SYSTEMS, MAYBE YOU COULD, UH, FIND OUT HOW MUCH IT ACTUALLY COST US THE PUBLIC TO EVEN PURCHASE ONE AND VICE VERSA WHEN, WHEN YOU BRING THIS BACK.
OKAY, WE'LL DO SOME RESEARCH AND THEN I KNOW I UNDERSTAND ON THE STAFF REPORT, UM, IT DID SAY MULTIPLE INQUIRIES AND REQUESTS FROM PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS AND HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION.
I HAD ONE WHOSE, UM, WALL JUST KEEPS GETTING TAGGED.
AND I ASKED, DO YOU HAVE ANY CAMERAS? AND THEY SAID, UNFORTUNATELY, TO GET THAT ANGLE VIEW, IT NEEDS TO BE OUTSIDE PRIVATE.
SO I THINK THIS IS PERFECT AND IT FALLS IN LINE AND HOW ACTIONS CAN BE HEARD AND SEEN.
I HAD A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WU ROLL CALL.
I HAVE A MOTION BY, AS THE MAYOR SAID, A MOTION BY MAYOR, UM, EXCUSE ME, A MOTION BY MAYOR LOPEZ VITO, A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN WU FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS, UH, CONSIDERATION OF CITY POLICY REGARDING INSTALLATION OF PRIVATELY OWNED SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AND PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
THE MOTION WAS TO COMBINE ITEMS NUMBER TWO, OPTIONS NUMBER TWO AND THREE, WHICH IS TO ALLOW THE INSTALLATION OF PRIVATELY OWNED CAMERAS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY ONLY FOR HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS IN THE FRONTAGE AREAS OF THE HOA COMMUNITIES, AND ALLOW THE INSTALLATION OF PRIVATELY OWNED CAMERAS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY FOR ANY RESIDENT OR PROPERTY OWNER WITHIN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
UM, MOVING ALONG, UH, CITY COUNCIL REPORTS, AB 1, 2, 3, 4, CONFERENCE OR MEETING.
ANYONE NEEDS TO REPORT ON THAT? SEEING NONE.
MOVING ON TO CITY COUNCIL REQUEST.
[CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS FOR REPORTS, STUDIES OR INVESTIGATION]
WE HAVE A COUNCIL REQUEST.UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE LOOK AT THE CURRENT LIGHTING BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO IMPACT ANY INJURY TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL OR THE PUBLIC.
AND THEN, UM, CODE OF CONDUCT CONTINUES TO BE MY PRIORITY.
UM, WELL, OUR PRIORITY, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT'S
[01:35:01]
GOING TO BE ON OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY COUNCILS DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT IF NOT, MAKE SURE IT'S AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING FOR CODE OF CONDUCT.
[ CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS]
NOW MOVING ON TO CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS.DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I COUNCILMAN WU, I HAVE A QUICK ONE AND I JUST WANNA SAY WELCOME BACK, LISA.
UH, WE MISS YOU AND, UH, WE SAW YOU COME BACK HEALTHY AND THIS MOST IMPORTANT THING.
AND LUCKY, UH, LADY LOPEZ, THE VIDO, A MAYOR AND HAVE YOU OKAY.
BUT SHE'S DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT, OKAY.
AND, UH, LISA, WELCOME BACK AND, UH, GLAD TO SEE YOU VERY HEALTHY AND COME BACK TO YOUR DUTY.
ANYBODY ELSE? UH, COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ.
IT'S HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WELCOME BACK LISA.
AND I WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF THAT WORKED SO HARD DURING THE HOLIDAYS ON THE, ON THAT PROJECT OR THE FLOOD THERE.
I FEEL REALLY BAD FOR THEM, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA PRAY FOR A VERY POSITIVE, NICE NEW YEAR.
UH, COUNCILMAN CANTOS, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? OH, I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO, TO WELCOME EVERYBODY IN 2026 TO JOIN WITH EVERYBODY ELSE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO GET DONE AND, AND I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY AND REALLY GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIPS WE KEEP BUILDING TOGETHER AND DEEPEST APPRECIATION TO STAFF FOR ITS ONGOING WORK.
UH, AS, AS WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER, THAT RESTAURANT IDEA WITH PUTTING THAT UP UP ON THE WEBSITE, THAT WAS A RESULT OF THE DISTRICT MEETING THAT WE, WE HAD.
AND IT WAS JUST EXCITING AND WE JUST CONTINUED TO LOVE TO BE ENGAGED WITH EVERYBODY.
COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ? YEAH, I JUST WANNA WELCOME BACK LISA AND, AND, AND THANK OUR CITY STAFF AND WELCOME THEM BACK FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THEY DO AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS OFFICIALS.
UH, WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE YOU WORKING FOR OUR GREAT CITY.
AND, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY DEFINITELY HAPPY NEW YEAR.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT BREAKFAST WITH SANTA, THAT WAS A SPECIAL INVITE TO ONLY OUR FOSTER AND HOMELESS KIDS IN OUR CITY.
UH, COUNCILMAN CONTOS AND I WERE THERE, UH, TO WITNESS AND SEE ALL THEIR HAPPY FACES, DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, AND THAT WAS LIKE VERY SPECIAL.
UH, I ALSO WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO PD WHO'S BEHIND THE KITCHEN COOKING.
SO, YOU KNOW, OUR POLICE ARE KNOWN TO PROTECT AND SERVE.
THEY WERE LITERALLY SERVING ALL THOSE FOODS TO ALL THE FAMILIES THERE.
UM, DURING MY MAYORSHIP, I DO WANNA FOCUS ON POSITIVITY.
UM, I WANT, I WISH TO HIGHLIGHT ALL THE GREAT NEWS, THE GOOD THINGS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS OR ANYONE.
SO IF YOU KNOW OR HEAR, I'M NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA A LOT, SO DON'T, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET IT, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME, LET ME KNOW.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT AND PRESENT, THAT'S WHY I WAS IMPLEMENTING THAT NEW INITIATIVE, UM, THIS YEAR TO SHOWCASE OUR, UH, BUSINESSES.
THAT'S WHY I SAID TASTE OF WEST COVINA.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE ANYBODY OUT THERE, IF THERE IS A SPECIAL RECOGNITION, LET US KNOW.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE YOU HERE.
OTHER THAN THAT, UM, I'M GLAD MEETING WENT SMOOTH AND I HOPE THAT IT CONTINUES THAT FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.